More than two months after North Korean troops were sent to Russia, Ukraine and South Korea claim that many Pyongyang soldiers have been killed in the Russian region of Kursk, part of which is still under the control of Kyiv’s forces. Their presence on the frontline was confirmed as early as December 16 by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby: “We have seen these North Korean soldiers move from the second lines (…) to the front lines on the battlefield meant to be actively engaged in combat operations. It’s not surprising – and of course, it’s also not surprising that now North Korean soldiers are suffering losses on the battlefield.”
The Kremlin is deploying major human and technical resources to recover the entire Kursk region, which was attacked by Ukraine in early August. Some 11,000 North Koreans have been sent to the area to lend a hand to 50,000 Russian soldiers, according to Western intelligence. Experts estimate that around 40% of the 1,300 square kilometers of territory Kyiv claimed control of this summer has been recaptured by the Russian army. Ukraine is seeking to maintain its positions in Russia as part of possible peace negotiations.
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