Fake Russian IDs, Orders Never to Be Captured, and 50% Casualties: Inside North Korea’s Secret War in Ukraine
The Russian Army has sustained nearly 1.3 million casualties during its “special military operation” in Ukraine. With the coming of spring, Russia has begun a new offensive.
Russia launched tens of thousands of troops at Ukrainian positions in what were characterized as “meat assaults” that left more than 6,000 soldiers as casualties. But the Russians are not alone.
As of March 2026, approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers remain stationed in the frontline zone supporting Russian operations. Since the initial deployment in late 2024, North Korea has dispatched a total of more than 20,000 troops to Russia, primarily to the Kursk region. And they have been savaged in frontal assaults against Ukrainian positions.
North Koreans Suffering Horrible Casualties
An estimated 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the war against Ukraine, according to South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western intelligence sources as of early 2026.
U.S. Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 1 use an M-88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle to remove a damaged Iraqi self-propelled artillery piece from the Al Anbar University campus in Ramadi, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2008, during a tank removal mission. Marines are removing the tank as part of the ongoing effort to rebuild Iraq and beautify the country. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt/Released)
This figure reflects a sharp increase from previous estimates of 600 deaths reported in April 2025 and 2,000 reported in September 2025.
British intelligence reported that as of March this year, troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) who were sent to fight against the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered nearly 50 percent losses in the field.
Troops are largely deployed to the Kursk region to support Russian counteroffensives, initially engaging in high-risk infantry assaults. North Korean units were reported conducting “brutal, near-suicidal” human wave tactics in combat.
The high casualty rate, however, suggests the reinforcements are being treated as expendable “cannon fodder,” with many suffering from minimal protection, according to intelligence officials.
The majority of North Korea’s troops are believed to be from Pyongyang’s elite special forces unit—the 11th Corps of the Korean People’s Army, or Storm Corps—which is trained to infiltrate and sabotage enemy operations and assassinate targets.
The North Koreans Have Bolstered Russian Forces in the Kursk Region
Thus far, North Korean forces have only been deployed in the Kursk region in western Russia, where they have helped the Russian military regain control of most of the territory captured by Ukraine in its surprise August 2024 offensive.
North Korean Type 88 Rifle. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
North Korea organized the troops into five separate infantry brigades and initially shipped them to Vladivostok, where they received basic combat training.
They were then airlifted more than 7,000 kilometers to the outskirts of Kursk. Upon arrival at the front, they were placed under Russian military command and issued Russian uniforms and equipment.
The North Korean troops were given forged identity papers identifying them as listing their origin and place of birth as the Russian region of Tuva. This is to give plausible deniability that the DPRK was not directly involved in the war. These troops are reportedly supported by an estimated 500 officers and three North Korean generals, including Kim Yong Bok.
Captured soldiers and notes found on troops killed in action indicate they were ordered to commit suicide rather than be captured.
In return for manpower, North Korea has reportedly received Russian technical assistance for spy satellites, drones, and surface-to-air missiles.
Focus Shifting From Frontal Assaults to Artillery and Drone Reconnaissance
After suffering from such high casualties, the Korean focus is shifting.
“As of January 2026, a group of North Korean troops is located in the Kursk region, from which they launch attacks on Ukrainian border communities,” Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said last week in an update.
Image Credit: KCNA/DPRK State Media.
“The biggest problem from North Korea is not the soldiers, but the artillery shells,” said Yehor Cherniev, the deputy chairman of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence.
North Korean troops are now regularly rotated under bilateral agreements. Around 3,000 experienced soldiers have already returned to North Korea to serve as military instructors, passing on 21st-century warfare skills to the rest of the North Korean army.
Despite heavy losses, the North Korean military is assessed to have become “less inept,” gaining invaluable experience in interoperability, modern weaponry, and hybrid warfare.
North Korean soldiers in Ukraine are showing good discipline and proficiency in small arms and tactical, small-unit attacks, often operating drones and conducting trench warfare in the Kursk region.
While they are highly motivated, they have suffered significant casualties and are adapting to the high-tech nature of modern, drone-heavy combat.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
