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Third of North Korean troops already wiped out in Ukraine
British intelligence has reported that one-third of the troops deployed alongside Russian forces in Ukraine are already out of action.
Pyongyang sent a contingent of 12,000 soldiers to Russia to assist local forces in regaining lost territory in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold ground following a surprise breakthrough in August 2024.
According to mid-January figures from the UK Ministry of Defence, 1,000 North Korean troops have already been killed, while another 3,000 have been wounded in combat.
“The human losses suffered by North Korea have almost certainly significantly deteriorated DPRK forces’ capacity to conduct offensive combat operations in support of Russia’s attempts to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk,” the British ministry said.
The Institute for the Study of War think tank warned that North Korean forces could be completely wiped out by April if daily casualty rates persist at the current pace.
London also noted that North Korean forces are struggling to integrate into Russia’s command and control structure.
