North Korean Troops Suffer Heavy Losses in Kursk

North Korean troops deployed to aid Russia in the Ukraine war have suffered significant casualties, with estimates suggesting that over a third of the 12,000 troops sent to Kursk Oblast are either killed or wounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that around 4,000 North Korean soldiers have faced casualties since their deployment in late 2024. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War predict that if casualty rates continue, North Korea could lose all its deployed troops by mid-April 2025. Despite their losses, North Korean forces have been described as determined warriors, engaging in aggressive assaults despite facing heavy Ukrainian defenses and losses. The North Korean military presence represents a troubling escalation in the conflict, marking the involvement of an Asia-Pacific nation in a European war. However, their losses are still dwarfed by the much higher casualties experienced by Russian forces since the conflict began.