North Korean troops reportedly pulled from Russian frontlines
The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have confirmed that North Korean soldiers have been withdrawn from combat in the Kursk region of Russia. This occurred about three weeks ago, and this decision was due to heavy personnel losses, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
- We confirm that there has been no presence of North Korean troops in the region for around three weeks. It is likely that they were forced to withdraw after suffering significant losses - stated Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesperson for the Special Operations Forces, to Ukrainska Pravda.
According to data from mid-January, North Korean forces might have lost about 4,000 soldiers in battles. Earlier, "The New York Times" reported on the withdrawal of these forces, suggesting that they might return to the front line after additional training.
Kim Jong Un helps Putin
Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region on 6 August 2024. This offensive aimed to compel the Russians to redeploy some forces from Donbas.
At the end of last year, reports surfaced that North Korean soldiers were fighting on the side of the Russians in the Kursk region. Soon it became clear that these reports were accurate.
The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, reportedly sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia, to support Moscow in exchange for technical assistance for Pyongyang's weaponry and satellite programmes, which are under strict sanctions. Some of them were stationed on the front line in the Kursk region.
