Ukraine: Over 7,000 North Korean Troops Deployed by Russia Killed or Injured... Nearly Half Affected

An Estimated 15,000 Troops Dispatched
"Exceeds Western Estimates of Fatalities"

TASS Yonhap News Agency

The number of North Korean military casualties deployed to the Ukrainian front at Russia's request has exceeded 7,000, according to Ukrainian authorities. This figure represents about half of the total deployment and is reportedly higher than previous estimates by Western intelligence agencies.

On the 29th (local time), the Kyiv Independent, a Ukrainian media outlet, cited the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (HUR) as saying, "The number of North Korean military casualties deployed to Russia's Kursk region has exceeded 7,000 from 2024 until last year." The report added, "This far surpasses previous casualty estimates put forward by Western intelligence agencies, including those in the United Kingdom."

Previously, based on the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty" signed with Russia in June 2024, North Korea dispatched more than 15,000 combat troops from October 2024 until last year. In addition, over 1,000 engineering troops were sent to carry out tasks such as mine removal. If the Ukrainian military's count of over 7,000 casualties is accurate, nearly half of the deployed troops have been affected.

Earlier, Western intelligence agencies estimated North Korean military fatalities at around 2,300, while the British intelligence authorities projected the number of casualties at about 6,000. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated at a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly’s intelligence committee in April last year that the number of North Korean casualties was assessed to be around 4,700.

It has also been pointed out that North Korea has become one of Russia’s major suppliers of war materiel, in addition to sending troops. According to the Kyiv Independent, "By providing ammunition and supplementing manpower shortages, North Korea is helping sustain Russia’s war effort, and in return, Russia is offering technological support for North Korea’s missile and nuclear capability development."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.