“At least 30 North Korean soldiers killed or injured,” reported, [Video showing bodies released on Telegram]
North Korea-Ukraine conflict intensifies; friendly fire due to language barrier suggested
Fighting escalates around the border region of Kursk, over 10,000 North Korean troops deployed to the frontline. Post-deployment, communication issues with Russia continue.
North Korea’s involvement in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is becoming more pronounced, with reports of North Korean casualties emerging through videos and photos. Despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his advisors reiterating the need for a ceasefire in the Ukrainian war, the fighting is intensifying as Trump’s inauguration approaches.
On the 14th (local time), the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Director (DIU) reported on their website that airborne and marine units organized with North Korean and Russian troops have suffered severe and irreparable losses due to Ukrainian attacks. The DIU estimated that casualties among the Russian and North Korean troops have reached 200 so far. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that Russia has started deploying a significant number of North Korean troops in the Kursk region.
Regarding this, the DIU followed up via a message on Telegram, stating, “At least 30 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured,” describing the engagement areas as being the villages of Plehovo, Borozba, and Martinikva in Kursk. Additionally, three North Korean soldiers are reported missing from the village of Kurilovka in Kursk. Despite the casualties, North Korean losses have been replenished with new troops, and North Korean-Russian forces continue their aggressive actions.
The U.S. think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), cited the DIU’s claims in a report, confirming that recent reports align with the North Korean troops’ involvement in grueling infantry combat.
The DIU also noted that Ukrainian-operated attack drones have been effectively engaging North Korean soldiers on the Kursk front.
The Ukrainian army’s “414th Attack Drone Regiment” posted videos and photos on their Telegram channel showing dozens of bodies laid out in a snowy field. The video, taken by drones, lasts 1 minute and 48 seconds, and the channel claimed that North Korean soldiers were among the dead. Though snow covers the bodies, making identification difficult, and the quality is poor, making it hard to confirm if they are North Korean soldiers.
Ukrainian military blogger Yuri Butusov also stated on social media that the Ukrainian command has secured footage showing the bodies of dozens of North Korean soldiers. It is not yet clear if any North Korean soldiers have been captured.
The clashes between North Korean troops and Ukrainian forces are continually reported around the northeastern border of Ukraine and northwestern Russia in Kursk.
Pro-Russian military blogs reported on the 13th that North Korean forces raided the Ukrainian village of Plyokhovo in Kursk, killing over 300 Ukrainian soldiers. They reported that the North Korean troops breached a 2-kilometer minefield in two hours and killed about 300 Ukrainian soldiers, although they suffered some casualties. As Russia focuses on regaining Kursk, which has been partially occupied by Ukraine since last August, it’s reported that over 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed there. As North Korean troops are now actively involved in the front lines, casualties and damages are expected to increase.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s General Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported that North Korean troops mistakenly fired upon Russia’s Chechen Republic’s Akhmat special unit vehicles, the Kyiv Independent reported. Initially, it was believed that eight Russian soldiers were killed in the friendly fire incident by North Korea, but it’s claimed that those killed were from the Akhmat special unit, not the Russian army. The Akhmat special forces have been deployed in the Ukrainian battlefield since September 2022.
Allegations that North Korean troops effectively attacked their own allies are emerging from language issues that have existed from the start of North Korea’s deployment, according to analyses.
The ISW stated, “North Korean troops are reportedly struggling with high casualties and communication issues with Russian forces in Kursk,” suggesting that these issues may hinder North Korea-Russia military collaboration and weaken Russia’s operations. Continuous communication problems and lack of integration between Russian and North Korean forces could lead to conflicts within Russia’s military operations in Kursk.
Michael Waltz, nominated as National Security Advisor in President-elect Trump’s upcoming administration, commented on the Ukrainian war in a video interview with CBS on the 15th, saying, “This is a World War I-style war, a meat grinder for humans,” expressing Trump’s significant concerns over the continued massacre. “We must stop the fighting,” he said.
When asked if President-elect Trump is sending messages (related to a ceasefire) via Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Waltz replied, “I won’t comment on specifics,” but said, “We will continue to talk, and Trump has made it clear he wants to stop this war.”
Regarding U.S. support for Ukraine, Waltz stated, “President Trump mentioned a ‘blank check’ in an interview with Time magazine,” criticizing the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine by saying, “A blank check is not a strategy (for ending the war).” In an interview with Time in April, President-elect Trump mentioned that European countries need to provide more support for Ukraine, saying, “Why should we pay when Europe doesn’t?”
President Zelensky continues to seek support from Western countries. He announced plans to attend a meeting on the 18th in Brussels, Belgium, with NATO and EU leaders to request assistance.