**North Korea’s Heavy Toll in Kursk: Over 6,000 Casualties**
The United Kingdom’s defense intelligence has released a report stating that North Korea has suffered more than 6,000 casualties during offensive operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. This staggering number accounts for over half of the approximately 11,000 troops initially deployed to the region in fall 2024.
According to the UK intelligence, the high casualty rate is attributed to large and highly attritional dismounted assaults carried out by North Korean forces. These tactics have proven costly, with a significant portion of their troops being lost or injured. The report also suggests that additional North Korean troops have been deployed to make up for these losses.
**North Korea’s Involvement in the War**
This news comes as no surprise given North Korea’s close ties with Russia and its efforts to support Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. Earlier this year, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea transferred approximately 3,000 additional soldiers to Russia in January and February. This move was seen as an attempt by Pyongyang to offset losses suffered during the conflict.
North Korea has emerged as a key military ally of Russia through its invasion of Ukraine. The country has supplied Moscow with artillery shells, missiles, and even soldiers in exchange for oil products and advanced military technology. In April 2025, Russia confirmed for the first time that North Korean forces were fighting alongside Russian troops in Kursk.
**Background on the Conflict**
In August 2024, Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donbas region.
Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March 2025, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory. This development has significant implications for the ongoing conflict and highlights the complex nature of international relations in today’s world.
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