Six officers from North Korea were among the 20 soldiers killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk, intelligence sources say.
Kyiv Post sources fluent in Korean have confirmed that the language, with an accent atypical in the South, was spoken in two videos alleging Pyongyang troops’ presence in Russia.
By
Kyiv Post
Oct. 19, 2024
Ukraine and South Korea both claimed in mid-October that Pyongyang had deployed troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, likely as a result of a mutual defense pact signed in June.
In early October, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (HUR) claimed that Pyongyang had deployed troops to reinforce Moscow’s troops in Ukraine. In addition, media reports, citing HUR, claimed that six North Korean officers had been killed in a missile strike, with 18 more Pyongyang troops having allegedly deserted their positions near Ukraine.
HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov said Oct. 18 that Pyongyang was preparing to send 11,000 troops to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following the reports, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) issued satellite images alleging North Korean troops in Russia’s Far East prior to their deployments in Ukraine. Videos circulating on social media around the time also depicted Korean-speaking soldiers in a Russian military base.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense also said that North Korea is expected to double down on weapons development that in 2025, wrapping up a five-year plan to modernize its arsenal.
The head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate said on Friday that media reports that Pyongyang’s men have not been seen on the front lines for weeks are just plain “wrong.”
Since their arrival on the battlefield, DPRK soldiers have been largely left to fend for themselves, advancing with minimal armored support and rarely stopping to regroup or retreat.
Ukraine’s August cross-border offensive into Kursk, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, continues to hold captured territory despite increasingly desperate Russian assaults.
The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation reports that North Korean troops in Kursk have temporarily withdrawn to review their mistakes with their and Russian commanders.
Ukrainian military sources believe NK retreat goals: analyze their mistakes, tend to their wounded and/or await troop reinforcements Kim Jong Un is about to send to the region, as reports suggest.
Do you know the key events that shaped the war in Ukraine this week? Stay up-to-date with Kyiv Post’s latest quiz covering the most significant stories from the last seven days.
A UK Defence Intelligence report says that command and control issues between North Korean and Russian forces in Kursk are leading to increased casualties and loss of operational cohesion.
One of the North Koreans captured by Kyiv shared more details on his journey to Russia, his military service, and what he knows about the world behind Pyongyang’s information blackout.
Ukraine’s capture of two North Korean soldiers in Kursk reveals Pyongyang’s deepening role in Russia’s war. Confiscated items suggest strict orders and concealed identities.
Do you know the key events that shaped the war in Ukraine this week? Stay up-to-date with Kyiv Post’s latest quiz covering the most significant stories over the last seven days.
As many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers now fighting against Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region could be killed or injured by mid-April, says an ISW report.
One of the captured North Korean soldiers fighting for the Kremlin previously voiced a desire to stay in Ukraine, while the other said he wanted to return home.
A Ukrainian soldier has described North Koreans fighting in the Kursk region as “disciplined, determined and fearless,” in a post on social media on Saturday.
![[VIDEOS] North Korean Troops in Russia Confirmed](https://static.kyivpost.com/storage/2024/10/19/a6f6a4c5d74d066019e5812a20c6514f.png?w=840&f=webp)
