Western officials have revealed alarming numbers of North Korean troop casualties in the conflict in Russia’s western Kursk region. Nearly 40% of the troops have been lost in just three months. Out of the estimated 11,000 troops sent from North Korea, 4,000 have been reported as battle casualties. This includes those killed, wounded, missing, or captured.
The North Korean troops, reportedly from an elite unit called the Storm Corps, are led by Russian officers. This has created communication barriers and further complicated their situation. According to Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army tank commander, “These troops are barely trained and led by Russian officers who they don’t understand. They are being thrown into the meat grinder with little chance of survival.”
Ukraine launched a surprise attack into the Russian oblast of Kursk last August, catching Russian border guards off guard. However, the arrival of North Korean troops in October helped push back Ukraine’s early gains. Despite being unprepared for modern warfare and vulnerable to Ukrainian First-Person-View (FPV) drones, North Korean soldiers are posing a significant problem for Ukrainian fighters on the front line, according to Ukraine’s top military commander Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The North Korean troop casualties will likely have a lasting impact on the conflict, highlighting the need for modern military training and equipment. Western officials are closely monitoring the situation, concerned about the implications of North Korea’s involvement.
