North Korea’s elite forces have mysteriously vanished from the conflict zone near Russia’s border with Ukraine, roughly three weeks after they were deployed to support Moscow’s troops. The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces had detected thousands of North Korean soldiers being involved in Russia’s attempts to push Kyiv’s forces back.
According to Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, the North Korean soldiers had little combat experience and were thrown into battle in waves of infantry assaults. The troops were poorly equipped, with limited food, water, and cold-weather gear, and were often armed with modernized variants of Russian weapons.
Despite being outgunned by Russian forces, the North Koreans sustained significant casualties, with estimates suggesting that around half of the 12,000 soldiers sent to Russia may have been killed or injured. At least two captured North Korean prisoners of war are currently in Kyiv’s custody, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that there will be more POWs from North Korea.
The disappearance of the North Korean soldiers is attributed to crippling losses suffered by Ukraine, which has retained its hold on a chunk of territory despite Russian efforts to push it back. The exact circumstances surrounding the deployment of the North Korean troops and their subsequent withdrawal remain unclear.
Ukraine’s special forces have given medical attention to captured North Korean POWs, but it is not yet clear when they will return to active combat or whether more troops could be deployed in the future. The incident highlights the complexities of the conflict and the involvement of multiple international actors.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/north-korean-soldiers-ukraine-kursk-russia-equipment-2024815