Russia Considers Deploying North Korean Troops in Eastern Ukraine Amid Heavy Losses

Russian forces may deploy North Korean soldiers in eastern Ukraine due to mounting losses, a Ukrainian military official Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for Operational Command ‘Khortytsia,’ said on a national TV, reported RBC-Ukraine on December 15.

Russia has already begun using North Korean troops within joint units in the Kursk region. While there is no confirmed evidence of their involvement in combat operations on Ukraine’s eastern front, Voloshyn warned that this is possible.

“It is not ruled out that due to significant losses in the East, Russia may soon deploy North Korean soldiers to our frontlines, fighting alongside Russian troops,” Voloshyn said.

Voloshyn emphasized that Ukrainian defenders are prepared to confront and neutralize any North Korean forces, just as they have been doing with Russian troops.

“If they appear on the battlefield, they will face the same fate as Russians—they will be destroyed,” he said.

Earlier, after North Korean soldiers were deployed in assault operations in the Kursk region, combined Russian and North Korean units are estimated to have lost approximately 200 soldiers in total, including both fatalities and injuries.