- Category
- Latest news
North Korean Troops Didn’t Leave Russia—They Were Folded Into the Russian War Machine
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
North Korea’s soldiers in Russia have not vanished from the battlefield—they have quietly been absorbed into Moscow’s war machine, gaining frontline experience with drones, artillery, and modern combat tactics that could reshape Pyongyang’s military for years to come.
Thousands of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia’s Kursk region in late 2024 have largely been reassigned into Russian military formations, according to reporting by BFBS Forces News on February 20.
This allows them to take on new operational roles as Pyongyang seeks combat experience, tactical knowledge, and access to modern warfare technologies.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
While the initial deployment drew global attention, the current whereabouts and missions of those troops have become increasingly difficult to track.
According to Forces News, North Korea sent approximately 14,000 personnel to Russia, with at least 6,000 believed to have been killed during operations. Reports also indicate that some soldiers took their own lives rather than face capture, while only two were confirmed taken prisoner.
Kim Jong Un has handed over keys to new apartments to the relatives of North Korean soldiers who died in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 18, 2026
An entire residential district has been built in Pyongyang for them. A museum dedicated to this war and those who were killed is also being… https://t.co/sYyJTbC4Vu pic.twitter.com/4WUdTtLmWT
Absorbed into Russian units
As Forces News wrote, the troops have not disappeared but instead have been integrated into Russian units where media access is significantly restricted. This restructuring has made independent monitoring far more challenging.
Rather than operating as distinct formations, North Korean personnel are now reportedly serving in specialized roles, including artillery crews and reconnaissance drone operators—positions that provide direct exposure to modern battlefield practices.
New footage of North Korean troops fighting with Russia. North Korea released this documentary today during a ceremony awarding soldiers who fought in Kursk. pic.twitter.com/YtcpQay7wQ
— Preston Stewart (@prestonstew_) August 22, 2025
According to BFBS Forces News’ analysis, this shift suggests a deliberate transition from frontline deployment toward skill acquisition and operational learning.
Combat experience as strategic investment
Roughly 3,000 personnel are believed to have already returned to North Korea, where they are expected to serve as instructors, transferring lessons learned from combat in Ukraine and Russian military operations.
Forces News noted that Pyongyang’s objective appears broader than simply supporting Moscow’s war effort. The deployment is widely viewed as an opportunity for North Korea to gain real-world experience in hybrid warfare, including drone operations, artillery coordination, and modern command structures.
Kyiv maintains that North Korean fighters remain active near Ukraine’s Sumy region, indicating the presence has not fully diminished.
War lessons and industrial gains
Beyond battlefield participation, tens of thousands of North Korean workers are also reportedly employed in Russian defense factories, including facilities assembling drones. According to Forces News reporting, this cooperation provides Pyongyang with both financial benefits and technical exposure.
The arrangement is believed to generate millions of dollars per month for North Korea while simultaneously allowing its personnel to acquire engineering expertise that could eventually support domestic production of attack drones.
This combination of combat experience and industrial knowledge transfer may prove to be the most strategically significant outcome of North Korea’s involvement—potentially shaping the country’s future military capabilities long after the war ends, Forces News concluded.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently on Russian territory, where they are gaining firsthand experience in modern warfare.
“10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently on the territory of Russia. It is extremely dangerous that they are gaining knowledge of modern hybrid warfare,” Zelenskyy said.
He noted that North Korean forces are learning how to counter missiles and various types of drones, including fiber-optic drones, FPV drones, and long-range unmanned aerial systems.
-29ed98e0f248ee005bb84bfbf7f30adf.jpg)
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-3e6f8b3ecf96625e0a6a50009de92a52.jpg "Lithuania Considers Entry Ban for Artists Who Perform in Russia or Belarus")
