North Korean troops in Ukraine face total loss by April
According to the Institute for the Study of War, North Korean troops in Ukraine could cease to exist by mid-April. The losses amount to nearly 100 soldiers per day.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that North Korean troops in Ukraine may cease to exist by mid-April. Currently, about 12,000 soldiers from North Korea are stationed in the Kursk region, with almost 100 personnel lost daily. Many of these soldiers are seriously wounded, raising questions about their return to the front line.
Increasing losses at the front
Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the beginning of January that 3,800 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded on the Russian-Ukrainian front. Two months earlier, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov spoke of their involvement in "small skirmishes" in the Kursk region. However, since December, these forces have been involved in more serious combat operations, resulting in the loss of 90 soldiers per day.
While observing their neighbouring country's actions, the South Korean military has shared varying data. According to the National Intelligence Service, on January 13, approximately 300 North Koreans have died, and 2,700 have been injured in the Kursk region, as noted by the ISW. Experts highlight that the forces backing Russia are progressively weakening, with most troops needing extended recovery times.
The future of North Korean forces
It is unknown when or if the injured North Koreans will return to the front. Experts from ISW predict that if the current rate of losses continues, the entire North Korean contingent could cease to exist by mid-April. This situation may affect the course of the conflict in Ukraine.
Kim Jong Un's soldiers captured in Ukraine
North Korean soldiers who fought on the side of Russia and were taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces confirmed during interrogations that they have no knowledge of Ukraine and are being used by Moscow solely to continue the war, declared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
Two North Korean soldiers were captured in the part of the Kursk region occupied by Ukrainian forces in Russia. They were wounded during combat and transported to Kyiv, as Zelensky reported on 11 January. Ukrainian services are currently interrogating them.
"The communication between captured soldiers from North Korea and Ukrainian investigators continues. We are establishing the facts. We are checking all the details. The world will know the full truth about how Russia uses such guys who grew up in a complete information vacuum, know nothing about Ukraine at all and are used by Russia solely to continue and expand this war. Only Russia needs this war," announced the Ukrainian president on social media.
