Hundreds of North Korean Troops Killed and Injured in Battles With Ukrainian Forces in Kursk Region, AP Reports

A couple of hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine have been killed or injured in battles in Russia’s Kursk region, according to the Associated Press on December 18, citing a senior military official.

The agency’s source did not specify the exact number of North Korean soldiers killed, stating only that North Korea has suffered significant losses due to its troops' lack of combat experience.

As of December 17, Ukraine reported over 80 North Korean soldiers killed in Russia's Kursk region.

The Head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation stated on December 17 that North Korean troops are showing unusual responses to drones on the battlefield, a sign they may not have received adequate UAV training from Russian forces.

On December 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia had deployed North Korean soldiers for the first time to attack Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk region.

A day later, the commander of Ukraine's special drone unit, Ptakhy Madyara, shared footage revealing the aftermath of a battle in the Kursk region, where the bodies of both Russian and North Korean soldiers were discovered.