Ukraine says N Korea troops may have quit front line after heavy losses

Ukrainian special forces, speaking to the BBC while operating in Russia's western Kursk region, stated that they have not detected any signs of North Korean troops in the area over the past three weeks. A spokesperson suggested that North Korean forces may have withdrawn due to suffering significant losses.

Last week, Western officials revealed to the BBC that out of approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to fight in Russia, 1,000 had been killed in just three months. Neither North Korea nor Russia has commented on this matter. The Ukrainian special forces spokesperson told the BBC on Friday that he was referring to the area where his forces are operating in the Kursk region, but did not disclose the specific length of that front line. While not a complete picture, this does suggest that North Korean forces have sustained considerable casualties.

According to a report by The New York Times, North Korean troops have also withdrawn from the front lines. The newspaper, citing U.S. officials, stated that this withdrawal may not be permanent and that these soldiers could return after receiving additional training or if Russia finds new deployment methods to avoid such heavy losses. There have been reports that South Korean intelligence believes North Korean troops are ill-prepared for the realities of modern warfare, particularly vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have deepened bilateral ties in recent months, signing security and defense treaties. Pyongyang's aid to Moscow now also includes large quantities of ammunition and weapons. Last August, Ukrainian elite forces launched a lightning offensive in Kursk, seizing over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory. Since then, Russian forces have managed to recapture most of the territory in the region.

Kyiv's raid aimed to change the dynamics of the war. The initial hope was that this operation would relieve pressure on other parts of the over 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, particularly in eastern Ukraine. Moscow is continuing its relentless advance in the east, albeit slowly, having captured some settlements in the Donetsk region in recent weeks. Kyiv is now trying to hold onto the land it has seized in Kursk as a bargaining chip for any possible ceasefire or peace negotiations with Moscow. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.