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6,000 North Korean Troops Killed or Wounded Fighting for Russia, Seoul Reveals
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Approximately 6,000 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Yonhap reported on February 12, citing data from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
According to the intelligence agency, around 10,000 North Korean combat troops and 1,000 engineering soldiers are currently deployed in Russia’s Kursk region to support Moscow’s war effort against Ukraine.
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The NIS estimates that roughly 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured during the war. It also noted that about 1,100 troops and engineers who returned to North Korea last December could be redeployed to the battlefield.
“Despite suffering 6,000 casualties, the North Korean military has achieved the results of acquiring modern combat tactics and data in the battlefield, as well as upgrading its weapons systems with technical assistance from Russia,” the NIS stated.
The intelligence service also reported that Pyongyang has established a new department dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles and is accelerating efforts to develop a system capable of designing and mass-producing drones.
North Korean servicemen remain actively engaged in Russia’s war against Ukraine, operating alongside Russian units and accumulating practical experience in contemporary warfare, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported.
According to HUR, North Korean troops are stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, an area used by Russian forces to stage repeated attacks on Ukrainian border settlements.
Ukrainian intelligence says the North Korean contingent is participating directly in combat operations. Their roles reportedly include operating tube artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, conducting aerial reconnaissance missions, spotting targets for artillery, and корректing rocket fire.
HUR assesses that one of Pyongyang’s primary goals in joining the war effort is to gain expertise in drone warfare and modern battlefield tactics. Ukrainian officials describe this as a key element of North Korea’s involvement, pointing to the growing emphasis on unmanned systems and networked combat operations.
Under ongoing military arrangements between Moscow and Pyongyang, North Korean units are reportedly rotated in and out of the Kursk region. Since the start of their deployment, around 3,000 North Korean soldiers have returned home after completing combat tours, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Many of those returning are believed to be reassigned as instructors, tasked with transferring battlefield knowledge—including drone usage, artillery coordination, and reconnaissance methods—to other units within North Korea’s armed forces.
Meanwhile, media reports indicate that some North Korean troops captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have requested transfer to South Korea rather than being returned to Pyongyang.
In October 2025, several detained North Korean soldiers expressed a desire to defect to Seoul instead of repatriation. The individuals were reportedly taken prisoner during combat operations in the East of Ukraine and are believed to have been part of North Korean units deployed in support of Russian forces.
Ukrainian authorities are said to be working with relevant international organizations to ensure that the detainees are treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions governing prisoners of war.
Earlier, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un allegedly ordered troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine to detonate grenades on themselves instead of being taken prisoner.
According to sources familiar with the matter, North Korean soldiers deployed to the front are subjected to political indoctrination sessions twice a week. During these meetings, commanders reportedly praise those who killed themselves in combat to avoid capture, portraying such acts as the ultimate proof of loyalty to Kim and as a higher form of courage than that shown by their Russian counterparts.
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