Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting for Russia in the western Kursk region.
The announcement followed a briefing by General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top military commander, on the ongoing conflict in the area, which has been active since Ukrainian forces launched a surprise cross-border incursion in August.
“There are risks of sending additional soldiers and military equipment to the Russian army from North Korea,” Zelenskyy stated in a Telegram post on Monday, pledging “tangible responses” to any such actions.
“According to preliminary data, the number of killed and wounded North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region already exceeds 3,000 people.”
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) further reported significant casualties among North Korean troops, claiming to have inflicted over 100 casualties in just three days of operations.
According to the SSO, 77 North Koreans were killed and 40 were wounded in recent fighting.
On Sunday, the SSO shared photos purportedly showing deceased North Korean soldiers in Kursk, as well as alleged forged Russian military identity cards issued to them.
The SSO accused Russia of attempting to conceal the presence of North Korean personnel by issuing falsified documents that “do not have all the seals, photographs,” and include patronymics written “in the Russian manner.”
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The SSO added that the signatures on the documents were written in Korean, “indicating the real origin of these soldiers.”
The deployment of North Korean troops marks an escalation in-country support for Russia’s war effort. U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian officials estimate that up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed in Russia, primarily to reinforce Moscow’s positions in Kursk.
North Korea’s support for Russia has previously included the supply of ammunition and weapons, such as ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian intelligence has also reported “significant casualties” among North Korean troops serving alongside Russian units on the front lines.
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