North Korea sends additional troops to Russia to participate in war against Ukraine
Pravda Ukraine
North Korea has sent additional troops to Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The exact number of military personnel remains unknown.
Source: Reuters with reference to intelligence and South Korean media outlets
Details: Following South Korean media reports, North Korea has deployed additional military units to combat zones in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. In this area, Russian forces clash with Ukrainian troops who have crossed the border into Russia’s west.
The South Korean newspaper JoongAng, citing multiple sources, reported that North Korea sent up to 3,000 military personnel to Russia between January and February 2025.
The transfer of troops was conducted using Russian cargo ships and military aircraft. Motorised rifle, engineering and reconnaissance units, which had not previously participated in combat in Kursk Oblast, arrived there.
Background:
- On 7 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces had once again deployed North Korean troops to Russia’s Kursk Oblast, with new assaults reported in the area. Zelenskyy said hundreds of Russian and North Korean soldiers had been killed.
- On 11 February, Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia sent hundreds of its officers to North Korea officially for medical treatment. However, their stay there might be part of the military training programme for the North Korean soldiers and the exchange of combat experience.
- On 19 February, Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said that about 1,000 North Korean soldiers were being trained on new military equipment in Russia, which increases their combat effectiveness. He stated that those soldiers were rapidly mastering modern tactics and strategies, including working with drones.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!