North Korea confirmed Monday (local time) that it has dispatched combat troops to Russia to aid in its war against Ukraine, marking the first official acknowledgment of its military involvement under a mutual defense treaty with Moscow.
The Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party said in a statement that leader Kim Jong Un ordered the deployment to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces." KCNA, North Korea's state media, cited Kim as stating, "They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland."
U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence officials had reported since last fall that between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops had been sent to Russia. However, Pyongyang had neither confirmed nor denied the reports until now. South Korea's military estimated that 3,000 additional North Korean troops were dispatched earlier this year following significant casualties among initial deployments. The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that around 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Ukraine's forces continue to operate in Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions despite Moscow's claims of having expelled Ukrainian troops. "Our military continues to perform tasks in the Kursk and Belgorod regions - we are maintaining our presence on Russian territory," Zelenskyy said in his evening address.
North Korea's Central Military Commission stated that the decision to send troops stemmed from the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024. KCNA reported, "Under the order of the head of state, the sub-units of the armed forces of the Republic regarded the territory of Russia as the one of their country and proved the firm alliance between the two countries."
Observers noted that while North Korean soldiers are highly disciplined, their initial lack of battlefield experience and unfamiliarity with the terrain made them vulnerable to drone and artillery attacks. Ukrainian military officials, however, assessed that the North Koreans are gaining crucial combat experience and have become instrumental in Russia's strategy to flood the battlefield with manpower.
Russia confirmed Saturday for the first time that North Korean soldiers have been fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk. North Korea's KCNA emphasized, North Korea “regards it as an honour to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation."
South Korea, the United States, and allied nations have expressed concern that Russia's growing reliance on North Korean military support could lead to the transfer of advanced weapons technology to Pyongyang, potentially enhancing North Korea's nuclear capabilities. In addition to military cooperation, North Korea is expected to receive economic assistance from Russia.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said discussions are ongoing regarding a potential visit by Kim Jong Un to Moscow, further deepening ties between the two nations amid ongoing global tensions over the war in Ukraine.
