Despite heavy casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war, North Korea has reportedly deployed additional troops to Russia. These North Korean soldiers are engaged in frontline combat against Ukraine on behalf of Russia. According to a report by The New York Times, citing South Korea’s intelligence agency, this deployment took place recently.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea stated that they are trying to determine the exact number of North Korean troops stationed in Russia. However, according to a report by South Korean daily JoongAng, citing anonymous sources, North Korea has sent at least 3,000 additional troops to Russia since January via military cargo ships and aircraft.
The report suggests that these additional troops from Pyongyang are deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, where Russian forces are engaged in combat with Ukrainian troops.
Previously, North Korea deployed more than 11,000 troops to Russia last year to support the war against Ukraine. Ukrainian and Western experts claim that Russian troops have also been using North Korean weapons. However, North Korea has never officially acknowledged sending troops or military equipment to support Russia in the war.
Ukrainian and U.S. government officials stated that after suffering heavy casualties, North Korean troops were withdrawn from the frontlines in January. These troops belong to North Korea’s highly disciplined special combat units. However, they lack experience in the open and flat battlefields of Eastern Europe, making them vulnerable to drone attacks.
According to South Korean officials, thousands of North Korean troops have been killed or injured. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that North Korean troops had returned to the frontlines. On Thursday, South Korea’s intelligence agency also provided a similar assessment.