Ukraine Special Forces Confirm North Korean Troops Have Vanished From Kursk

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) confirmed that North Korean troops have not been observed in Russia’s Kursk region for approximately three weeks, likely due to significant battlefield losses, stated Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, an SOF spokesperson, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda on January 31.

“The Special Operations Forces speak only for the sectors where our units are deployed. In this regard, we report that the presence of North Korean troops has not been observed for approximately three weeks. Likely, after suffering heavy losses, they were forced to withdraw,” Kindratenko stated.

Previously, reports emerged that North Korean soldiers sent to support Russia’s war against Ukraine have been pulled from the front lines after suffering devastating losses. Sources said the troops, deployed to reinforce Russian forces struggling against Ukrainian advances inside Russia’s borders, have not been spotted near the front for approximately two weeks. The information, based on military and intelligence reports, was provided under conditions of anonymity.

North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in late 2023 to bolster Russian forces, but their presence on the battlefield has been marked by disorganization, high casualties, and ineffective coordination with Russian units.

Earlier, North Korean 122mm multiple launch rocket systems, disguised as civilian trucks, have been spotted in Russia’s Kursk region.