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Ukraine’s Defense Chief Denies Reports of North Korean Troops' Withdrawal from Russia’s Kursk Region

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Ukraine’s Defense Chief Denies Reports of North Korean Troops' Withdrawal from Russia’s Kursk Region
North Korean soldiers patrol the border near China, as seen from Dandong on March 22, 2021. (Source: Getty Images)

According to Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), approximately 8,000 North Korean troops continue to operate on the front lines in Russia’s Kursk region, despite recent reports suggesting their withdrawal.

In an interview with The War Zone, Budanov dismissed claims from media sources, including The New York Times, which suggested that North Korean forces had been pulled back due to heavy casualties. He clarified that while their combat activity has decreased in recent days, these forces remain engaged.

“We need to wait to see if there are actual changes or if this is just a temporary reduction in activity,” Budanov stated.

Recent battlefield developments suggest that losses among the North Korean units may have affected their operational capacity. However, Ukrainian intelligence has not confirmed any large-scale withdrawal from the front lines.

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.

Previously, it was reported that Russia and North Korea lost dozens of officers in a Ukrainian strike on the Kursk military command post on January 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Associated Press.

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