The Ukrainian Army: North Korean Troops Withdraw from the Front Lines in Kursk After Suffering Heavy Losses

Ukrainian military officials stated on January 31 that they have not seen North Korean soldiers on the frontlines in the Kursk region for three weeks. It is believed that they may have withdrawn from the frontlines due to heavy casualties.

According to a report by CNN, Oleksandr Kindratenko, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, mentioned, “North Korean forces have not been present on the Kursk region frontlines for approximately three weeks, likely forced to retreat after suffering significant losses.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President, mentioned that some North Korean troops have pulled back from the frontlines after incurring heavy losses.

Ukrainian and Western intelligence indicate that around 12,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia to participate in the Russia-Ukraine war. They have been deployed in the Kursk region that was seized in a surprise attack since November last year.

President Zelensky of Ukraine stated during a speech in Davos, Switzerland last week, “We are still in the Kursk region… Russian forces are not enough to drive us out.”

Zelensky pointed out that there are 60,000 Russian soldiers and 12,000 North Korean soldiers deployed in the Kursk region. He also mentioned that one-third of these North Korean soldiers have been killed.

As reported by the Kyiv Independent, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated on January 19 that approximately half of the North Korean soldiers deployed in the Kursk region have been wounded or killed.

Several experts interviewed by the mentioned newspaper believe that the high casualty rate among North Korean soldiers is related to their lack of modern warfare experience, the use of human wave tactics against Ukrainian positions, and their determination to avoid capture at all costs.

According to the Korean News Agency, on January 28, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces posted on Facebook that they had killed two North Korean soldiers while destroying Russian military positions in the Kursk region. They found 2G mobile phones manufactured by Samsung on these soldiers.

In the photos released by the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, besides the phones, the belongings of these deceased soldiers included a passport from the Republic of Buryatia, a note in Korean reading “lay down your weapons,” personal protective equipment, AK-12 assault rifles equipped with 1P87 sights, DL-5 rangefinders, 1PN139-1 thermal imaging scopes, communication devices, and a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un addressed to Russian soldiers.

In the letter, Kim Jong-un praised the soldiers’ efforts, saying, “Please never forget, even for a moment, I always wish and pray for all of you to return safely and in good health.”