Vladimir Putin has officially thanked North Korean forces for taking part in battles in Russia’s Kursk Region. After months of denying their involvement, Russian state media have done a complete turnaround, suddenly praising the combat skills of Pyongyang’s soldiers. Kim Jong Un, in return, has vowed that North Korea would, if needed, once again defend Russia from what he called “servants of the United States.” But the reality of North Korea’s role in the war looks much less heroic. On the front lines, their troops fought like something out of the past — more akin soldiers from World War I or II than a modern army. Their tactics were outdated, their communications failed, and they suffered massive losses in “meat grinder” assaults. And since North Korea only sent light infantry with no heavy weapons, the experience they gained is unlikely to be of much help in any future conflict with South Korea. Whether North Korea will send more troops to fight against Ukraine remains unclear.
Russia spent months denying that North Korean soldiers were participating in the war against Ukraine. The first reports suggesting their involvement emerged in October 2024. However, their deployment, as well as their country’s shipments of ammunition to Moscow, officially broke international sanctions against Pyongyang. UN resolutions explicitly prohibit North Korea from providing any type of military assistance abroad.
It was no coincidence that on Oct. 30, 2024, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, said that Ukraine’s Western allies had “hit a new low” by pushing what he called “blatant disinformation” after they had called a Security Council meeting on the issue. A few months later, in January 2025, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov brushed off a report by The New York Times on major North Korean losses in the Kursk Region as “delusional nonsense.” North Korean officials took the same line throughout the fall of 2024.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
North Korean troops taking part in the war against Ukraine broke international sanctions imposed against Pyongyang.
But once the Kursk operation ended — and with the new Trump administration largely indifferent to such violations of international agreements — Russia dropped the act. On April 26, 2025, in a report to Putin, Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops had fought in Kursk. He also declared victory over Ukrainian forces in the area.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Putin followed up with a statement praising “the heroism, high level of specialized training, and selflessness of the Korean warriors who defended our homeland as if it were their own.” He added:
“The Russian people will never forget the heroism of the Korean special forces. We will always honor these Korean heroes who gave their lives for Russia and our shared freedom, just like our Russian brothers in arms.”
Kim Jong Un, for his part, called North Korea’s role in the war a “sacred mission” against the “vanguard and shock brigade of imperialist powers” — his name for Ukraine. North Korean general Pak Yong Il went even further, calling the Kursk campaign “a victory of justice over pure evil.”
At the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, Putin approached a group of high-ranking North Korean officers and hugged one of them — Colonel General Kim Yong Bok, deputy chief of North Korea’s General Staff and commander of the 11th Assault Corps.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
In an after hours speech on the night of May 10-11 best remembered for Russia’s proposal to restart talks with Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, Putin again praised the “courage, heroism, and professionalism” of the North Korean soldiers. Streets and squares in the “liberated” areas of Kursk are now expected to be named after them, with plans to erect monuments in their honor.
At first, the North Korean troops seemed completely unprepared for modern warfare. But over time, they started to adapt.
Russian officials and pro-Kremlin military bloggers described their involvement as part of a “counterterrorist operation” that began in the Kursk Region after Ukrainian forces seized large swathes of territory there in early August 2024. The North Korean troops were said to be from the Korean People’s Army’s special forces — though in North Korea, “special forces” often just means light infantry with good physical and weapons training.
Russian “war correspondent” Alexander Kots noted that the North Korean soldiers were “noticeably younger than your average Russian serviceman.” Propagandist Marina Kim claimed they were mostly between 23 and 27 years old — in contrast to many Russian volunteers, who are largely over 45.
Reports of their first real combat — and their first casualties — came in November 2024 and were limited to the Kursk front. Though by then, North Korea’s flag had already been spotted on mine dumps in Russian-occupied areas of Donbas, likely as a psychological tactic.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
According to estimates by South Korean intelligence, the total losses of the 15,000-strong North Korean contingent reached around 4,700 troops, including 600 killed. Western estimates from January 2025 reported that, out of an 11,000-strong force, at least 1,500 had been killed and another 3,500 were wounded or missing — losses exceeding 20% of the unit’s total strength. Based on these numbers, Ukraine’s General Staff concluded that two out of the three notional Korean People’s Army (KPA) brigades deployed to Russia had lost combat effectiveness.
One key reason for such heavy casualties was the hopelessly outdated tactics North Korean troops used at the start of their deployment. A Russian military instructor was quoted as describing the situation in a report by war correspondent Alexander Kots:
“The hardest part was convincing the Korean commanders that large-scale assault tactics were a dead end. They wanted to attack in style, using not just squads but full companies. But once they got into real combat, they quickly realized that wasn’t going to get them far. They adapted on the fly to small-unit tactics, which actually started producing results.”
Sure enough, during the winter of 2024-2025, Ukrainian sources published a large number of visual accounts showing KNA soldiers operating like “time travelers” from the First or Second World War — advancing in dense infantry lines across fields, including open terrain, fully upright and without any attempt at concealing themselves.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
The “human wave” tactics — essentially mirroring the “meat grinder assaults” well known to Russian troops — were, in the case of the North Korean contingent, further exacerbated by a deliberate effort to lighten the assault troops' gear as much as possible — including the abandonment of heavy helmets and body armor — in order to increase mobility and footspeed.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Ironically, the term “human wave” originated in the Korean War of the 1950s, when U.S. General Douglas MacArthur used it to describe North Korean attacks.
That same outdated, almost surreal approach to combat shows up in the diary of a fallen North Korean soldier that was published by Ukrainian special forces (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). The entries speak of absolute loyalty to the ruling party and Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un, along with references to “anti-imperialist and class struggle” goals. One particularly strange tactic it described involves using a live “decoy” — a soldier tasked with drawing a drone operator’s attention while others try to shoot down the UAV from covered positions using small arms.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
The gear carried by these North Korean troops also attracted attention. Ukrainian correspondent Yuriy Butusov posted a detailed (and graphic) video of a North Korean soldier, believed to be at least a company commander, who was killed during a firefight in the Kursk Region. The soldier had a photo-less ID issued in September 2024 in the name of a lieutenant colonel both in the Republic of Tyva (Tuva) in southern Siberia, along with a notebook full of Korean-language entries.
He was wearing Russian winter fatigues and was armed with both an AK-12 assault rifle and a Vepr automatic shotgun — loaded with 12-gauge shells for shooting down drones. Butusov pointed out that the North Korean was actually better equipped than most Russian troops in the region. His personal kit included a Chinese-made Kirisun digital radio, extra batteries, and a signal flare. However, he still appeared to be navigating using old-school paper maps.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Ukrainian forces attempted to persuade North Korean soldiers to surrender by promising them a “new life” in South Korea. These efforts included propaganda leaflets designed to look like North Korean currency, printed with calls to defect. But the results were minimal — only two North Korean soldiers were reportedly captured alive. This suggests both high discipline and strong morale within the North Korean ranks, where propaganda encourages troops to take their own lives with grenades rather than allow themselves to be taken prisoner.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
While the first reinforcements from North Korea consisted solely of light infantry, later waves arrived with engineering units and electronic warfare teams. This points to some level of tactical adaptation to the realities of the Russia-Ukraine war. North Korean command was also observed taking “pauses” to regroup and reorganize its forces. Ukrainian soldiers noted that the North Koreans are quick learners who became increasingly effective at shooting down drones with small arms — possibly by using the previously mentioned “live bait” distraction tactic.
North Korea has a long history of deploying troops and military specialists abroad — particularly on the African continent. Between 1966 and 1983, an estimated 8,000 North Korean personnel were stationed in 38 countries. During that time, they reportedly helped train around 7,000 members of various military and security forces across 30 nations.
One of the more well-known cases came in 1977, when North Korean special forces helped thwart a coup attempt in Benin that was led by the infamous French mercenary Bob Denard. Thousands of North Korean soldiers and military advisors also supported rebel forces in Angola in their fight against apartheid-era South African troops, and they aided like-minded nationalist movements in Namibia and Mozambique.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
North Korean forces helped thwart a coup attempt in Benin led by the infamous French mercenary Bob Denard in 1977.
North Korean advisors were also active in newly independent Zimbabwe. There, they helped organize and train the country’s Fifth Brigade — a unit later accused of mass killings during the crackdown on the Ndebele uprisings in the early 1980s. Other notable instances of North Korean support include deployments to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War and to Ethiopia as part of that country’s 1977 war against Somalia.
North Korea has also historically backed opponents of Israel. During the 1967 and 1973 wars, North Korean pilots reportedly flew combat missions alongside Egyptian and Syrian forces. More recently, North Korean advisors were even reportedly linked to Bashar al-Assad’s regime during the Syrian Civil War, and they are believed to have helped build an extensive tunnel network in Lebanon used by Hezbollah.
Based on available information and estimates from Western and South Korean officials, the total number of North Korean troops deployed to Russia — reinforcements included — never exceeded 15,000. That’s a relatively small number — not just in the context of a war in which the combined strength of the two sides likely exceeds a million troops, but even for a battlefield as isolated as Ukraine’s Kursk foothold. At most, North Korean forces made up about a quarter to a third of the Russian grouping involved in the Kursk operation. Most notably, they fought largely on their own, involving minimal coordination with Russian units and no access to vehicles or heavy weapons (apart from 60mm mortars).
Even pro-war Russian sources, including some prominent bloggers, have questioned the authenticity of footage showing North Korean troops in action in Kursk, calling much of it staged (1, 2, 3).
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Still, Russia’s military bloggers and propagandists — like Anastasia Kashevarova — have offered glowing praise of North Korean soldiers’ battlefield demeanor.
“Our troops respectfully call them ‘unhinged’ — in a good way,” she said. “They had no fear. They didn’t run from the battlefield. At first, they didn’t even hide from drones because they didn’t yet understand how this war works.”
Another pro-war channel, Two Majors, admitted that North Koreans “left our officers stunned” by proposing old-school tactics — like advancing in wide formations. The language barrier made joint operations nearly impossible (1, 2). In fact, drone flight paths had to be changed because friendly fire incidents — Korean units mistakenly shooting down Russian UAVs — had become too frequent.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Some of the proposals put forward by the North Koreans “stunned” Russian officers.
Even more eyebrow-raising were the heavily publicized videos of North Korean troops training on Russian ranges. One clip from a channel close to the Russian “North” (“Sever”) group showed Korean soldiers practicing hand-to-hand combat against knife-wielding opponents.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
Another video released by the channel showed standard exercises around group tactics and trench clearing along with more bizarre scenes of soldiers throwing knives and punching tires.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
While such skills aren’t completely useless, they’re hardly relevant to modern warfare — especially a war fought at range with artillery, drones, and precision munitions. Close-quarters combat with knives is, at best, a rare exception.
Overall, North Korean units played an important role in breaking through the AFU’s defenses in certain sectors of Kyiv’s bridgehead in Kursk. However, what actually turned the tide for Russia was establishing fire control over Ukrainian supply routes — not the North Korean ground assaults. There’s no evidence that KPA soldiers ever operated their own heavy weaponry or armored vehicles, which makes it unlikely they gained experience that would be directly transferable to a potential future conflict with South Korea.
North Korea’s most important contribution to the Russian war effort — by far — has been its steady supply of artillery ammunition. Some reports suggest that North Korean rounds now account for up to half of Russia’s total artillery usage. Pyongyang has also reportedly supplied some artillery systems — including the 240mm M-1991 multiple rocket launcher and the 170mm Koksan self-propelled gun — as well as KN-23 ballistic missiles (nicknamed “Kimsanders”).
Ironically, the deployment of KPA troops was one of the formal reasons the U.S., then under President Joe Biden, approved the use of Western-supplied ATACMS missiles against targets inside Russia’s internationally recognized territory.
Whether North Korea will continue sending troops to support Russia is very much up in the air.
On May 10, 2025, Kim Jong Un visited the Russian embassy in Pyongyang and declared that North Korean forces had “crushed the Kyiv neo-Nazis, who carry the genes of recklessness and inhumanity,” and had liberated Kursk from them. He also reiterated his commitment to the defense Russia, saying:
“If the servants of the U.S. and the West, with their cheap, defective weapons, do not abandon their dangerous plans to attack our brother nation, the Russian Federation, and strike again, then I will gladly, under the terms and spirit of the Korea-Russia treaty, give the order for KPA forces to repel the enemy without hesitation.”
This statement suggests two things: First, Kim sees North Korea’s military obligation to Russia as having been fulfilled with the end of the Kursk campaign. Second, he appears to interpret that obligation as applying only to internationally recognized Russian territory — not to the so-called “new regions” of Russian-occupied Ukraine. That said, Ukrainian sources have reported KPA involvement in fighting in the Sumy Region — on Ukrainian soil.
Notably, U.S. intelligence has reported that it was Kim Jong Un — not Vladimir Putin — who came up with the idea of sending troops to fight in the war in Ukraine. Any expansion in the scale or geography of North Korea’s involvement in the war could lead to serious international consequences — a diplomatic risk that hardly seems worth the minimal difference North Korean troops can actually make on the front lines.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.
According to U.S. intelligence, it was Kim Jong Un — not Vladimir Putin — who came up with the idea of sending North Korean troops to the war in Ukraine.
Far more important to Pyongyang than sending troops is its deepening defense industry cooperation with Moscow. South Korean analysts estimate that North Korea has earned more than $20 billion by supporting Russia’s war effort — mostly through weapons and ammunition sales. North Korea is also using the war in Ukraine as a live-fire testing ground. Reports suggest Pyongyang, with Russian technical help, is developing a new kamikaze drone and has significantly improved the accuracy of its KN-23 missiles — from a deviation of 1–3 kilometers down to just 50–100 meters.
Mine dumps — also known as spoil tips, slag heaps, or “terrikons” (in Russian and Ukrainian) — are large mounds of waste rock and soil left over from the industrial extraction of mineral resources, particularly coal. There are approximately 500 mine dumps in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region.