Troops from North Korea are currently engaged in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast, Russia. North Korean troops have highly likely sustained significant combat casualties but so far only achieved tactical gains.

In addition, the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom notes that around 11,000 North Korean combat troops have deployed to the Kursk Oblast.

Russian and North Korean forces are almost certainly experiencing interoperability difficulties. The two forces do not share a common language and North Korean troops almost certainly have difficulties integrating into Russia’s command and control structure.

Russia and North Korea have deepened their bilateral partnership with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which includes a mutual defense clause, taking effect from 4 December 2024.

For Russia, North Korean military support to their war against Ukraine has highly likely been the core driver for the partnership and has until recently, centered around North Korea’s provision of arms.

In return, North Korea has received high level international support from Russia and has secured a trading partner willing to break sanctions.

South Korean intelligence has revealed that North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk Oblast have suffered significant casualties, with at least 100 soldiers killed and approximately 1,000 wounded in combat operations. South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun disclosed these figures following a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to parliament on Thursday 19 December.

Related:

• North Korean forces suffer over 1,000 casualties in Russia’s Kursk Oblast
• Hundreds of North Korean troops killed or injured fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk, US military says
• Forbes: Ukraine’s artillery decimates North Korean troops with US cluster munitions
• ISW: Russia denies North Korean troops in Kursk to mask military dependence
• Zelenskyy: Russians burn faces of killed North Korean soldiers to conceal losses
• Ukraine’s military intelligence: North Korean troops to take part in assaults very soon