North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has reportedly dispatched over 2,000 soldiers to join the conflict on the frontlines alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This revelation coincided with Kim’s visit to Beijing for an ‘anti-NATO’ conference with Chinese and Russian leaders ahead of a significant parade.
Sources indicate that Kim traveled from North Korea to China in an armored train. South Korean intelligence estimates suggest that around 1,400 North Korean troops have perished since April, with an unknown number sustaining injuries in a span of four months while supporting Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated with intense missile attacks despite US efforts to mediate a ceasefire.
The majority of North Korean casualties are believed to have occurred in Kursk, where they were deployed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to counter a Ukrainian incursion that surprised Moscow and necessitated additional troop deployments.
Recent reports from Seoul’s National Intelligence Service suggest that 10,000 North Korean troops were sent to fight in Ukraine, with an additional 6,000 troops currently being deployed. Some of the latest troops were reportedly sent to Russia for training and equipping before engaging in combat.
Lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun revealed that the number of North Korean casualties has risen to around 2,000, up from an initial estimate of 600 in April. Intelligence agencies from South Korea and the West have confirmed the dispatch of over 10,000 North Korean soldiers to Russia in 2024, mainly concentrated in the Kursk region, along with artillery and missile systems. Some North Korean ammunition provided to Russia has been reported as defective, leading to performance issues.
In a separate development, Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that North Korea would send builders and deminers to the Kursk region. North Korea officially acknowledged its troop deployment to support Russia’s actions in Ukraine and acknowledged the loss of soldiers in combat. Kim Jong-Un personally met with the families of deceased soldiers, expressing condolences for their immense loss.
Additionally, reports suggest that North Korea has dispatched a significant number of workers to aid Russian factories facing labor shortages due to the ongoing conflict. The war in Ukraine has inflicted heavy casualties on Russia, with over a million individuals affected by the fierce battles along the frontlines.
A military agreement signed between Russia and North Korea last year, including a mutual defense clause, underscores the growing alignment between the two countries. The close ties between North Korea and Russia have strengthened since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as Russia sought additional military support. Desperate for more troops after substantial losses, Putin’s recruiters have reportedly enlisted prisoners with promises of freedom upon surviving the war.