Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Thursday that North Korean troops have engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, marking a concerning escalation in the ongoing conflict. Zelensky disclosed that 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in the region, which has been a flashpoint since Ukraine's incursion into Russian territory earlier this summer.
Speaking at the European Political Community summit, Zelensky emphasized the seriousness of the situation. "Some of these troops have already taken part in hostilities against the Ukrainian military. Yes, there are already losses, this is a fact," he said, without specifying which side had suffered casualties. The presence of North Korean forces represents a new and troubling dynamic in the conflict, raising the stakes as tensions mount in the region.
The New York Times reported earlier this week that a "significant number" of North Korean troops had been killed during limited engagements with Ukrainian forces, citing senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had previously confirmed the clashes during an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS, highlighting the emerging threat posed by North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops.
Zelensky characterized the involvement of North Korean forces as a "new page of instability in the world" during a recent nightly address. The revelation comes as Ukraine and its Western allies brace for potential shifts in U.S. policy following President-elect Donald Trump's victory. Trump has been critical of continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine and has suggested that Kyiv negotiate with Moscow. "Trump's comments on ending Russia's war in Ukraine deserve attention at the very least," Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked during a public appearance in Sochi.
Putin expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue with Trump, further fueling speculation about a potential realignment in U.S. foreign policy. During his campaign, Trump suggested he could end the war within 24 hours, though he offered few specifics on how such an outcome would be achieved. Critics argue that any plan to "freeze" the conflict could solidify Russian control over occupied Ukrainian territories, including Donbas and Crimea.
On the ground, Ukrainian forces continue to face significant challenges. Zelensky warned that Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukrainian positions, deploying a barrage of Iranian-made Shahed drones and using decoy drones to overwhelm Kyiv's air defenses. The Ukrainian president pleaded with international partners to provide long-range weapons, arguing that such capabilities could neutralize the threat posed by North Korean troops massing in western Russia.
The deployment of North Korean forces reflects a deepening alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang. According to U.S. intelligence, 10,000 North Korean troops, including high-ranking officers, have been integrated into Russian military operations near Sudzha. Video evidence has shown the troops conducting exercises in Russia's far eastern Khabarovsk region before being deployed to the front lines.
Ukrainian forces, however, remain undeterred. Vitalii Ovcharenko, a Ukrainian soldier stationed in the Kursk region, shared that his unit had been preparing for the possibility of North Korean troops. "We don't know how Moscow will train them or communicate with them. They might be fanatical professionals with totalitarian souls. Or guys lacking experience from another continent. Either way, we're ready for the threat," Ovcharenko said.
The presence of North Korean troops has not gone unnoticed by Ukraine's Western allies, who are grappling with the implications of a broader anti-Western coalition. Ukrainian military officials have reported that North Korea has provided Russia with millions of artillery shells and missiles, in exchange for support in areas such as rice supplies and advanced technology. Lt. Col. Artem Kholodkevych of Ukraine's 61st Mechanized Brigade described the evolving conflict as evidence that Putin is willing to prolong a "long and bloody conflict."
As winter approaches, Ukrainian troops stationed in the Kursk region remain focused on maintaining control of strategic positions. Despite the formidable opposition, Ukrainian soldiers, including newly mobilized personnel, continue to press forward. "We've achieved more than we wanted or expected. Things are not easy in a war. But in general, we feel positive," Ovcharenko remarked.
