**North Korean Troops Suffer Heavy Losses in Russia’s Kursk Oblast**
A new report from the UK Ministry of Defence reveals that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing while fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. This is a staggering number, and it highlights the heavy toll that North Korea is taking as part of its military support for Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.
According to the report, around half of the estimated 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to the area have become casualties. This means that nearly 6,000 soldiers have been killed or wounded, or are missing in action. These numbers are a significant blow to the North Korean military and raise questions about the sustainability of their involvement in the conflict.
**A Costly Campaign Tied to Ukraine’s Cross-Border Offensive**
The Kursk campaign is believed to be tied to Ukraine’s cross-border operation into Russian territory. In August 2024, Ukraine launched a rare cross-border operation into Kursk, briefly capturing territory and forcing Russia to redeploy troops. While the initial campaign was successful, it was eventually reversed by March 2025. Ukrainian forces withdrew without holding ground, but Kyiv claims that the operation disrupted Russian logistics and diverted enemy forces from other fronts.
**High Casualty Rates from Brutal Ground Combat**
The UK report highlights the intense and costly infantry engagements on the ground as a major factor in the high casualty rates among North Korean troops. “Significant DPRK casualty rates have almost certainly been sustained primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report states.
This type of brutal ground combat is taking a heavy toll on both Russian and North Korean forces. UK intelligence analysts believe that these tactics are leading to unsustainable losses for North Korean units involved in front-line fighting.
**Deepening Military Coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang**
On June 4, Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea for the second time in three months. He met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, signaling deepening military coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang. Shoigu is believed to be the Kremlin’s lead negotiator managing North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.
**North Korean Involvement Confined to Kursk—For Now**
As of mid-June, North Korea’s military activity remains limited to the Kursk direction. According to UK intelligence, any expansion beyond Russian borders—particularly into internationally recognized Ukrainian territory—would almost certainly require joint authorization from both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.
**Rising Toll: Estimates Reflect Growing Concerns**
The casualty estimates reflect a growing concern among analysts about the toll that this conflict is taking on North Korean forces. In April, a South Korean lawmaker cited intelligence sources as saying that about 600 North Koreans had died in the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy estimated that 4,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.
More recently, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that over 4,500 North Korean troops had been neutralized since the launch of the Kursk offensive. These numbers are a stark reminder of the high stakes involved in this conflict and the need for international support to aid Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s illegal invasion.
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