North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed that his country has sent troops to Russia to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine. These troops have reportedly helped in reclaiming the Russian territory held by Ukraine’s military in the Kursk region.
In a statement provided by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party announced that Kim Jong Un deployed troops alongside Russian forces under a mutual defense treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang. According to Kim, the soldiers were sent to “annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers” and liberate the Kursk area.
Kim praised the bravery of the soldiers and stated that those who fought for justice are heroes and representatives of the motherland’s honor. North Korea regards its alliance with Russia as an honor and sees it as a powerful partnership.
In June of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, committing both countries to provide military assistance to each other in case of war.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that Kim also mentioned the construction of a monument in Pyongyang to honor those who fought against Ukraine. It was noted that North Korea had remained silent about the thousands of soldiers it sent to Russia in October.
Ukrainian officials previously stated that approximately 14,000 North Koreans were deployed against Ukraine’s forces, including reinforcements sent to replace early battlefield losses. Although lacking armored vehicles and unfamiliar with drone warfare, the North Koreans adapted quickly and later contributed to reclaiming Russia’s Kursk region from Ukrainian forces.
There has been significant variation in estimates of the casualty rate among North Korean forces fighting for Russia. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated that around 300 North Korean soldiers were killed in combat and another 2,700 were injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 4,000, while the United States estimated a lower figure of around 1,200 casualties.
Russia’s chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, hailed the “heroism” of the North Korean soldiers, stating that they provided significant assistance in defeating the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. Ukraine’s General Staff quickly countered, claiming that their defensive operations in certain areas of Kursk were ongoing.
The US State Department stated that North Korea and other “third countries” have prolonged Russia’s war on Ukraine and called for an end to the conflict and Moscow’s support for Pyongyang.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/28/north-korea-confirms-soldiers-sent-to-fight-with-russia-against-ukraine?traffic_source=rss
