Global attention has focused on a disturbing series of videos and images depicting North Korean soldiers—many with little combat experience—being wiped out by lethal drones and cluster munitions on the Ukrainian frontlines.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) released testimony from a soldier of Ukraine’s 8th Special Operations Regiment on Tuesday, deployed in Russia’s western Kursk region. The regiment posted footage on Facebook claiming to have eliminated 50 North Korean soldiers in a drone strike. The video shows individuals, believed to be North Korean troops, attempting to flee or take cover behind trees when confronted by first-person view (FPV) drones.
A soldier from the 8th Special Operations Regiment described the encounter: “About 200 enemy combatants approached our position. They advanced like zombies, firing their weapons while our drones flew overhead. They were easy targets. Their tactics were reckless and incomprehensible. It was like fighting zombies.”
RFA characterized the North Korean military’s tactics as reminiscent of Soviet strategies from the 1950s and 1960s. It noted that North Korean soldiers seemed unaware of the capabilities of FPV drones. They reportedly believed that lying on the ground or hiding behind trees would make them invisible, indicating a lack of understanding of remote-controlled warfare.
The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, which operates under the National Security and Defense Council, concluded that the fallen North Korean soldiers showed an apparent lack of understanding of the drone threat. This suggests a critical failure by Russian forces to brief their North Korean allies on drone warfare adequately.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared drone footage on his X account, reportedly showing North Korean soldiers. He stated, “Unfortunately, we are forced to defend against them as well, even though there is not a single reason for North Koreans to die in this war. The only reason is Putin’s madness, which has consumed Russia and fuels this war.”
U.S. officials have confirmed significant North Korean casualties in engagements with Ukrainian forces. A U.S. military source told Reuters that hundreds of North Korean troops suffered casualties while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region. When questioned about the ranks of the North Korean casualties, the official indicated they ranged from low-ranking enlisted personnel to those near the highest echelons of command.
Reports suggest North Korean casualties may be significantly higher than initially indicated. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, stated, “North Korean troops are currently struggling alongside Russian forces. Their losses have mounted to hundreds in the past 48 hours alone.”
The North Korean forces appear particularly vulnerable to FPV drones, an unfamiliar weapon system. These drones, costing around $500 each, are mass-produced by the thousands monthly. With top speeds of 150 km/h (93 mph), they’ve proven to be highly effective and cost-efficient suicide drones on the modern battlefield.
Ukrainian military footage further demonstrates the lethality of these suicide drones.
Video released by Ukraine’s special operations forces shows FPV drones targeting North Korean personnel, armored vehicles, cars, and all-terrain vehicles. Soldiers attempting to evade the drones by seeking cover in wooded areas are systematically eliminated, often staring in disbelief as the drones zero in on their positions.
Additional footage reportedly shows North Korean troops falling victim to cluster munitions. These weapons, containing dozens to hundreds of submunitions, create a devastating “steel rain” effect across a wide area, inflicting mass casualties.
In a significant development, the Ukrainian military is rapidly expanding its drone capabilities, focusing on recruiting young pilots. Ukraine has become the first nation to integrate drone units into its brigade structure fully.
This restructuring has led to drone units primarily staffed by operators in their twenties, many without prior military experience. These young recruits have adapted well to military culture while operating from relatively safe distances compared to frontline infantry.
The Wall Street Journal reports that these drone operators often view their long-range strikes more as a video game than traditional warfare, achieving impressive results. Russian troops have reportedly resorted to playing dead to avoid detection, but Ukrainian forces have become adept at identifying even the slightest movements, such as sneezing or blinking.
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