Ukraine believes that North Korean soldiers engaged alongside Russia’s military on the Kursk front line have been “withdrawn” following significant losses, according to a military spokesperson.
Intelligence agencies from Western nations, South Korea, and Ukraine indicate that Pyongyang deployed over 10,000 troops to bolster Russian forces in the western Kursk region, where Ukraine initiated a surprising cross-border offensive in August.
During this operation, Ukraine successfully captured numerous border settlements—marking the first instance of a foreign military crossing into Russian territory since World War II—resulting in a notable embarrassment for the Kremlin.
The North Korean troop deployment, which was never officially acknowledged by Moscow or Pyongyang, was intended to reinforce Russia’s military and assist in expelling Ukrainian forces.
“In the last three weeks, we have not observed or detected any activity or military engagements involving the North Koreans,” Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesperson for the Special Operations Forces, informed AFP.
“We believe they have been withdrawn due to the substantial losses they incurred,” he added.
Ukraine previously reported having captured or killed several North Korean soldiers stationed in the Kursk region.
President Zelensky has released footage of interrogations with what he claims are North Korean prisoners of war taken by his forces on the Kursk front.
Ukrainian officials have stated that injured North Korean troops chose to detonate grenades rather than be captured alive.
Kremlin Remains Silent
When questioned today regarding reports of the withdrawal of North Korean soldiers, the Kremlin opted not to comment.
“There are many varying opinions circulating, some correct and some not,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
“It’s not advisable to comment on every instance,” he added.
Ukraine and Western nations have condemned their deployment as a significant escalation in the protracted conflict.
Ukraine mentions that approximately 2,000 Russian civilians are residing in areas under its control, largely isolated from contact with relatives across the newly established frontline.
Frustration is mounting in the Russian border area due to local authorities’ inability to facilitate their return to Moscow-controlled territory or provide updates on their circumstances.
Despite Ukraine maintaining control over parts of the Kursk region, Russia has been making advances in other areas along the 1,000km front.
The Russian military announced the capture of another village, Novovasylivka, in eastern Ukraine, where its forces are making progress towards a critical logistics hub and a route essential for military supplies.
Novovasylivka is situated near the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region and adjacent to the internal border with Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, which has so far avoided ground combat.
In 2022, Russia declared its intent to annex the Donetsk region—despite not having full control over it—but has refrained from making public territorial claims regarding Dnipropetrovsk.
