North Korean troops face setbacks in Kursk region clash
The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published a report on the assault by North Korean soldiers on Ukrainian positions that took place in the Kursk region. Intense fighting lasted several hours, ultimately ending tragically for the units supporting the Russians.
In November 2024, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers had been deployed in Russia's Kursk region. This is one of the forms of support Pyongyang provides to Moscow.
Despite their numerical superiority over the Ukrainians, many of the North Koreans' assaults fail. The described assault, in which 21 North Korean soldiers were killed and 40 were wounded, clearly demonstrates this.
This is how North Korean soldiers fight against Ukrainians
The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces reported that the 8th Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, alongside allied infantry, successfully repelled a North Korean offensive supporting Russia for over eight hours. The defence relied on handheld weapons, grenade launchers, and sniper support.
North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are perceived as "cannon fodder." This term is used by the authorities in Seoul, among others. Ukrainian military personnel are beginning to emphasize, however, that North Koreans are determined and adapting to the realities of the ongoing war. However, they cannot overcome limitations such as insufficient equipment. Their possession of modern Russian AK-12 rifles is the exception, not the rule.
The most significant losses inflicted by Ukrainian forces on the North Koreans are achieved with the help of drones and artillery, including systems using cluster munitions with area effects.
Support from North Korea for Russia
Pyongyang supports Moscow in exchange for Russian technological assistance for armament and satellite programs.
Initially, military assistance for Russia manifested in significant transfers of artillery ammunition. Over time, North Korean ballistic missiles KN-23 (Hwasong-11A) with a range of about 595 kilometres and heavy military equipment, including M1989 "Koksan" artillery systems, began reaching Russia.
