North Korean troops deployed to Russia to bolster its efforts in Ukraine are facing mounting casualties, with at least 100 soldiers killed and over 1,000 injured, according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). In a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, the NIS disclosed troubling details about the conditions and effectiveness of the North Korean forces in Ukraine.
The majority of the North Korean soldiers, estimated at 11,000 and stationed in Russia's Kursk region, began engaging in combat earlier this year. South Korea's NIS reported that the troops were primarily used as front-line storm troopers and lacked drone response capabilities, a shortcoming that has drawn criticism from Russian military leaders.
Compounding the grim toll on the North Korean forces were recent Ukrainian drone strikes, which inflicted significant damage during battles near Kursk. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, stated that around 200 North Korean troops were killed or wounded in assaults last weekend. The strikes included innovative tactics by Ukrainian forces, such as deploying drones decorated with festive Christmas ornaments to sow confusion and panic among enemy troops.
Videos of the drone strikes circulated widely on social media, showing their deadly impact. "Despite Russian attempts to hide North Korean failures through quick evacuation, videos of strikes on North Korean soldiers, their failures, and their corpses are already in the public domain," Kovalenko said.
The battlefield conditions have proven particularly harsh for North Korean troops. Observers noted that many of them advanced across snowy fields with minimal artillery or air support, making them highly vulnerable to Ukrainian cluster munitions and first-person-view drones. The dark camouflage of the North Korean uniforms stood out against the snow, turning the soldiers into easy targets.
Ukrainian forces in the region, operating with a numerical disadvantage of approximately 20,000 troops against a combined Russian-North Korean force of 60,000, have utilized strategic defenses and advanced technology to maintain their positions. The Ukrainians' innovative tactics, including their adept use of drones, have helped offset the manpower imbalance and inflicted substantial casualties on the opposing forces.
The NIS also reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is preparing additional forces for deployment to Ukraine. These troops are being trained as a special operations force, indicating Pyongyang's continued commitment to its military alliance with Moscow.
The partnership between Russia and North Korea, while bolstering Russia's manpower in Ukraine, has not come without challenges. Russian commanders have expressed frustration with the North Korean troops' limited training in modern warfare, particularly in counter-drone operations. This lack of preparedness has exacerbated their vulnerability on the battlefield.
