North Korean troops retreat: Heavy losses in Russia's Kursk
South Korea's Intelligence Service (NIS) reported on Tuesday that since mid-January, there have been no North Korean soldiers on the front line in the Kursk region in western Russia. Recently, the Ukrainian army announced the withdrawal of North Korean troops due to "heavy personnel losses."
"Since mid-January, there have been no signs showing North Korean troops deployed to the Russian Kursk region engaging in battle," the intelligence from Seoul reported, stating that one of the reasons for their absence is suffering heavy losses.
The spokesman for Ukrainian Special Operations, Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, confirmed last week the lack of activity from North Korean troops in the region. His statement was the first official confirmation of earlier media reports suggesting the withdrawal of troops due to significant losses.
According to data from mid-January, North Korean forces may have lost about 4,000 soldiers in the battles.
The fighting in Kursk continues
Sources from The New York Times do not rule out the possibility that North Korean soldiers might return to the front after undergoing additional training. The Russians may also develop new strategies for troop deployment to minimise losses.
Hostile attacks in the Kursk region territory continue, but the Russian occupiers are using significantly less equipment, which may indicate difficulties in resource allocation or a change in enemy tactics, reported the Ukrainian agency UNIAN.
North Korean soldiers in Russia
Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region on 6 August 2024. Their goal was to force Russia to redirect some forces from the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. These actions were part of Ukraine's broader military strategy.
According to authorities in Seoul, Kim Jong Un sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia in exchange for technical assistance in weapons and satellite programmes. This cooperation resulted from strict sanctions being imposed on Pyongyang.
