Nearly 1,000 North Korean soldiers have reportedly been killed in the ongoing Ukraine war, according to Western officials. They were killed while fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s border region of Kursk, British media outlet BBC reported on Wednesday, January 22.
Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. To strengthen its military, Pyongyang has reportedly sent thousands of North Korean troops to Russia. Many of them have been deployed in the Kursk border region, where these casualties occurred.
Western officials told the BBC that within just three months, nearly 40% of the North Korean soldiers sent to fight in Russia’s western Kursk region have been killed, injured, gone missing, or captured. Of the estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers sent to Russia, approximately 4,000 have faced such fates. Among them, nearly 1,000 are believed to have been killed by mid-January.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that it is unclear where the wounded soldiers are being treated, as well as when and how many replacements will be sent.
According to intelligence estimates from South Korea, the United States, and Ukraine, approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia. Most of them have been deployed in the Kursk border region to fight against Ukrainian forces.
Notably, Ukrainian forces launched a sudden attack on Kursk in August last year, gaining partial control of the region, which they still retain. Analysts suggest that North Korean soldiers are facing challenges such as a lack of combat experience and language barriers.
In February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, military ties between North Korea and Russia began to grow. In June last year, North Korea and Russia signed a historic agreement, which came into effect in December.
Analysts believe North Korea, under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, is attempting to acquire advanced technological knowledge from Russia by participating in this war.