North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to fight alongside Russia in its war with Ukraine, under the orders of Kim Jong-un. This marks the “highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship” between North Korea and Russia, as stated by the North’s KCNA state news agency. The conclusion of the conflict in Russia’s Kursk region is cited by KCNA as evidence of this alliance. Russia recently claimed that Ukrainian forces have been expelled from the last Russian village they occupied, a claim denied by Ukraine, which asserts its troops are still active in Belgorod, a neighboring Russian region adjacent to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy contradicted Moscow’s claims of “liberating” its western region, stating that Ukraine’s army is still engaged in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. The Central Military Commission of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ party confirmed Kim’s decision to deploy troops as part of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia. The announcement from North Korea lauds the troops’ actions as heroic and representative of the country’s honor, emphasizing the alliance with Russia as an honor for North Korea.
Estimates suggest around 14,000 North Korean troops, including reinforcements for casualties, have been deployed to Ukraine. Despite facing significant casualties due to a lack of armored vehicles and drone warfare experience, these troops have adapted quickly. This deployment marks the first direct acknowledgment by Russia of North Korean soldiers fighting in Kursk, with both countries previously neither confirming nor denying such involvement.
The US State Department expressed concern over North Korea’s direct involvement in the Ukraine war, urging that North Korea’s military deployment and any reciprocal support from Russia must cease. This statement highlights the responsibility that countries like North Korea bear in the ongoing conflict.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/28/north-korea-troops-fighting-for-russia-ukraine-confirmed-kim-jong-un
