NewStats: 3,264,808 , 8,184,757 topics. Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025 at 12:24 PM p3b6n

North Korean troops have been killed fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk border region, the US has said.

These would be the first reported casualties since it emerged in October that North Korea had sent around 10,000 troops to reinforce Russia's war effort.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the GUR, has also said at least 30 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in fighting over the weekend.

The BBC has not independently verified the claims
The North Korean troops, none of whom will have any previous combat experience, are believed to have spent their first weeks in Russia in training and then in roles.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian had begun to use a "significant number" in its assaults in Kursk, part of which Ukraine has occupied since launching a surprise incursion in August.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said the US believed North Korean soldiers had "engaged in combat in Kursk alongside Russian forces" and "suffered casualties, both killed and wounded".

He did not give specific numbers, but said the troops had been in combat since "a little over a week ago".

He added it appeared the North Koreans were being used in infantry roles and that their involvement was thought so far to be limited to Kursk, implying that they have not been deployed in Ukraine itself.

Russian forces, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have been advancing in eastern parts of the country in recent months.

The GUR said the North Korean casualties had occurred on Saturday and Sunday in the Kursk villages of Plekhovo, Vorobzha, and Martynovka.

On Monday, President Zelensky posted drone footage on Telegram that showed a number of men taking cover behind trees, saying they were North Korean troops who had just taken part in an assault on a Ukrainian position.

He also posted footage which he said showed Russian troops trying to conceal the presence of North Koreans on the battlefield by using a campfire to burn the faces of those who had been killed.

"Ukraine's Defense Forces and intelligence are working to determine the full extent of the actual losses suffered by Russian units that include North Koreans," he said.

He added that there was "not a single reason for North Koreans to die in this war".

The Kremlin referred questions about North Korean deaths to the Russian Ministry of Defence, which has made no comment.

Following reports of the deaths, the EU and countries including the UK, US, Australia and South Korea called Pyongyang's involvement in the conflict a "dangerous expansion... with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security."

Earlier this week, the US Treasury department announced sanctions on nine people and seven entities over their financial and military to North Korea.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxz0ygl7gko

Here are some of the drone footages, first frame are pile of dead North Koreans fighting Putin useless war. Feed your eyes. You(Putin fanboys) can fly over to Ukraine to confirm them. Also the Putin fanboys can post the dead Ukrainian soldiers so we can see and quit crying on the thread!😂😂

Those North Korean kids got taken out while being used as cannon fodder. What a mess! Most of them are as thick as two short planks, clueless about what's going on around them. They just get chucked into Ukraine like lambs to the slaughter, no proper coordination whatsoever.

It's like watching a bunch of kids running about in the open, getting picked off by Ukraine drones like sitting ducks! Lol

Video footage

https:///V_Zelenskiy_official/12764


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84JyxcW0X5Y?si=3x2XRxOlTTA7M3zI

Where are the Ukraine dead soldiers too? Or Ukraine don't lose men?

Lol

USA only reports issues affecting Russia not Ukraine. We know where their loyalty lies . What of the Western troops killed by Russia . This is a war and there will always be a collateral damage.

Wahala

Liars

It's well

Russia won't stop until they win.

Sent to fight war, they shouldn't have.

How is this news?

When did the death of soldiers on the battle field become something new...
The west don't want to get tired

Low grade trained army everywhere..

Remove nuclear weapons, Nigeria army will defeat North Korea, Russia army on a Gun to Gun battle fight..

War is ugly

Mirasteel:
Russia won't stop until they win.

win who?

Exousiang01:
How is this news?

When did the death of soldiers on the battle field become something new...
The west don't want to get tired

The news is about North Korean troops in Ukraine.
This changes the plot, North Korea troops fighting In Europe

Solidarity soldiers, Pawns, make them no go back to their country!

when will nigeria annexed Benin and evade Ghana

North Korea and Rusia with all their gra gra

Ukrainians are using drone strikes, cluster bombs and mines against the Russians in this war.
Those poor soldiers are just getting sent to their graves.

jasent:
Where are the Ukraine dead soldiers too? Or Ukraine don't lose men?

Propaganda as usual, sanctions don't seem to work. Now it's cheap propaganda.

S

Tragic in other news Pay federal workers salaries before the Christmas, this is the most important thing and not free train ride. How can we celebrate the Xmas without December salary, pls don't delay this month salary like November

I don't know what north Korean troops are doing in Ukraine besides insanity.

Nawaoh.. language barrier will definitely affect north Korea...but this war has exposed the foolishness of human beings....Needless war and foolish decisions....putin doesn't want Ukraine to ed Nato because he doesn't want to have western force around his country yet he has to import Inexperienced north Koreans ..no be juju be that

Why North Koreans in the first place? Has Russian soldiers finished

Same way Russian troops get massacred

Russia doesn't mind losing men

If Ukraine were as populous as Russia, they would have overrun Russia since!