North Korea Reinforces Troops in Russia’s Kursk Region

British intelligence estimates that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region, representing more than half of the approximately 11,000 troops North Korea initially deployed to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. These heavy losses are attributed to intense, attritional infantry assaults. North Korea has also provided artillery and missiles to Russia in exchange for oil and military technology. Open-source and South Korean intelligence report that at least 3,000 more North Korean troops were sent as reinforcements in early 2025 to compensate for battlefield losses. Official casualty figures remain unverified, and North Korean military operations are still confined to the Kursk region, with any expansion requiring approval from Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. Ongoing high-level talks between Russian and North Korean officials highlight continued coordination and military cooperation.