Key Points: North Korea has deployed approximately 11,000 troops to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine, with soldiers now engaging on the front lines in Kursk Oblast.
-North Korea has also supplied Russia with artillery shells and weaponry, showcasing its deepening military alliance with Moscow.
-The deployment has resulted in heavy casualties among North Korean troops and signals Russia’s reliance on external support amid mounting losses, estimated at nearly 800,000 troops.
-In response, Ukraine has been granted permission to use advanced Western munitions to target Russian military assets within Kursk Oblast, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
North Korean Troops Fight on Russian Frontlines Amid Heavy Losses
North Korean soldiers are fighting and dying for Russia. The North Korean military detachment sent to Russia is engaged in fighting with the Ukrainian forces and taking heavy casualties.
North Koreans In Action
In the fall, North Korea deployed approximately 11,000 troops to Russia to fight on behalf of the Russian military.
After several weeks of training and outfitting, the North Koreans have been deployed to the Kursk Oblast, in Russia, and are fighting alongside Russian units in the operation to eradicate the Ukrainian salient.
North Korea has provided more than troops to Russia. For months now, the North Korean regime has been sending Moscow munitions and weapon systems.
For example, Pyongyang has provided hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to the Russian military.
Artillery and other long-range systems are the single-deadliest source of casualties in the war, with over 85 percent of casualties coming as a result of long-range weapons.
North Korean Special-Operations Forces. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
“Over the past few days, we have seen these North Korean soldiers move from the second lines on the battlefield to the front lines on the battlefield meant to be actively engaged in combat operations,” White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said in a press conference earlier this week.
“It’s not surprising — and of course, it’s also not surprising that now North Korean soldiers are suffering losses on the battlefield in response to Russia’s escalation, which, of course, the introduction of North Korean soldiers represents in terms of escalation,” Kirby added.
In response to the deployment of the North Korean forces, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom gave Ukraine the green light to attack military targets inside Russia with the long-range munitions they have transferred.
Specifically, the Ukrainian forces can now use M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), and SCALP-EG and Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles against military targets in Russia.
Image Credit: KCNA/DPRK State Media. North Korea.
However, the Ukrainian forces are restricted in using these munitions only within Kursk Oblast.
“We’re going to continue to hold accountable all actors who facilitate financially and militarily Russia’s illegal and brutal war in Ukraine. And it goes without saying, or at least I hope it goes without saying, that we stand by Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as they defend their freedom, their territorial integrity, their sovereignty, their citizens, their lives, and their livelihoods,” Kirby stated.
The deployment of North Korean troops in Russia shows that despite its pompous statements, Moscow needs help to fight its war of aggression in Ukraine.
The Russian forces have lost almost 800,000 troops in the fighting so far, with approximately 200,000 killed.
“That’s been a consistent theme, it’s been a consistent effort by this administration since Mr. Putin decided to cross the line in February of ‘22. And I can assure you, with every day that we have left in this administration, we’re going to make good on that commitment,” Kirby concluded.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
