Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) have reported on Telegram the elimination of 13 North Korean soldiers during operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
According to the SSO’s statement on Tuesday, Jan. 7, operators from the 8th Special Ops Regiment killed five North Korean soldiers in a gunfight and eliminated eight more using drones. Photos of the deceased DPRK soldiers, along with details of the operation, were shared here. Viewer discretion is advised, as the content is sensitive.
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“After the battle, SSO operators inspected the bodies of the North Korean soldiers and their documents,” the report said.
Among the items recovered from one soldier were a machine gun with a collimator sight, an “Azart” Chinese-Russian radio station, a drone detector, and an ID card differing from standard military identification. The soldier also carried a letter addressed to the Communist Party of North Korea.
Ukrainian Special Ops Crush Russian Offensive in Kursk Region
“These findings suggest he might have been an officer,” the SSO reported.
On Jan. 6, the SSO shared a video showcasing the combat efforts of the 6th Ranger Regiment in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. According to the report, both Russian and North Korean soldiers were targeted in these operations.
“Snipers, engineers, gunners, drone pilots, and rangers of the 6th Regiment are destroying enemies and their equipment in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation every day,” the SSO said.
Warning: graphic content!
When Ukraine launched its Kursk operation, the SSO promptly reported their active engagement.
Since Aug. 6, 2024, when Ukrainian forces crossed into the Kursk Oblast, the SSO has carried out a series of ambushes and rapid strikes on Russian troop positions. These operations have eliminated over a dozen Russian soldiers, captured dozens more, and successfully rescued encircled Ukrainian Defense Forces personnel.
As Moscow launched counteroffensive efforts, the SSO adapted, repelling assaults and targeting reinforcements. North Korean soldiers deployed by Russia to bolster its forces have since become frequent targets of SSO operations.
In late December, drone operators from the SSO reportedly killed 50 and wounded 47 North Korean soldiers over 3 days. On Dec. 19, SSO operators from the 73rd Marine Center repelled an assault in the Kursk Oblast, killing 12 and wounding 20, using an MK-19 automatic grenade launcher and drone strikes.
On Jan. 5, InformNapalm intelligence released a video showing DPRK soldiers in the Kursk Oblast forcing elderly Russian residents out of their home to take cover from Ukrainian drone strikes.
The video, provided by an unidentified Ukrainian military drone unit, confirmed that the troops were North Korean and not, as some speculated, “Russian soldiers from Buryatia.”
The Ukrainian source said that they were certain the soldiers were Koreans, not Russians, based on distinct physical characteristics and other intelligence data. They also reported that these troops had been operating in the area and suffered heavy losses.
According to intelligence, the DPRK soldiers had sought shelter in civilian homes, displacing the residents.
Recent reports indicate heavy losses for Russian forces in their efforts to regain control of areas in the Kursk region taken during Ukraine’s August offensive. According to John Kirby, the US National Security Council spokesperson, Russia has suffered nearly 40,000 casualties, including over 1,000 North Korean soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces destroyed the equivalent of a battalion of North Korean soldiers and Russian marines in the Makhnovka area during operations on Jan. 3 and 4.
Ukraine launched its second offensive in the Kursk Oblast on Jan. 5, targeting multiple areas and achieving tactical advances, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Pro-Russian bloggers and channels have reported significant Ukrainian pressure in the region, suggesting further escalation is expected.
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