Key facts
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that up to 50,000 North Koreans may be deployed in Russia.
- An estimated 3,000 North Korean soldiers were killed in action out of 13,000 deployed to fight alongside Russian forces.
- Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate estimates 8,500 North Korean servicemen remain on Russian territory, organized into four brigades protecting the border in the Kursk Region.
- These North Korean units are not participating in active combat operations in occupied Ukrainian territories.
- North Korea's troop deployment to Russia is estimated to have generated close to $10 billion through arms sales and manpower.
- North Korea receives food, oil, and hard currency in exchange for its military support to Russia.
North Korea may be preparing to send a significantly larger contingent of troops to Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warning that up to 50,000 North Koreans could be deployed. This follows an earlier deployment of North Korean soldiers, primarily from the elite Storm Corps, who fought alongside Russian forces in Ukraine's Kursk region towards the end of 2024. Despite suffering heavy losses, with estimates ranging from 3,000 to 3,700 killed in action out of approximately 13,000 deployed, North Korea's involvement is seen by some analysts as a strategic gamble that has yielded economic and geopolitical benefits.
According to Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), around 8,500 North Korean servicemen remain on Russian territory, organized into four brigades tasked with protecting the border in the Kursk Region. HUR stated that these units are not engaged in active combat operations within occupied Ukrainian territories. Experts like Dr. Yang Uk suggest that while combat troops may not be actively fighting, engineer corps or workers could be present in the Donbas area.
For North Korea, this deployment represents its largest combat force sent overseas since the 1970s. The operation has reportedly generated close to $10 billion for the impoverished nation through arms sales and the provision of manpower, in exchange for food, oil, and hard currency. This cooperation also helps North Korea diversify its reliance away from China, as evidenced by Kim Jong Un's public meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian soldiers who encountered the North Koreans described them as brave but often poorly equipped and inadequately trained for modern warfare, particularly drone tactics. Some reports indicated a lack of basic equipment like body armor and winter clothing. The soldiers were noted for their relentless, wave-like assaults, which offered some advantage but were not decisive. Communication between North Korean and Russian forces appeared to be poor. The high casualty rate and the reported willingness of some North Korean soldiers to detonate grenades rather than surrender highlight the extreme indoctrination and sacrifice demanded by the regime.