Over 3,000 North Korean Soldiers Casualties in Russia’s Kursk Region: Zelenskyy Speaks Out

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed on Monday that North Korean casualties in Russia’s Kursk region have surpassed 3,000. He cautioned that Pyongyang might escalate its support to Moscow with additional troops and military hardware.

Zelenskyy took to X to share intelligence from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, warning of the heightened risk of North Korea deploying more forces and equipment to aid Russian operations.

The casualty figures cited by Zelenskyy significantly exceed previous estimates. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had reported 1,100 North Korean casualties, while the National Intelligence Service recently indicated about 100 fatalities and over 1,000 injuries among North Korean troops.

Zelenskyy emphasized that these figures are based on preliminary intelligence assessments. Intelligence gathered by Ukraine and its allies suggests that North Korea has deployed approximately 12,000 troops to Russia, with some units reportedly engaged in combat operations in the Kursk region.

The JCS also reported indications that North Korea is gearing up to export suicide drones to Russia. Pyongyang has allegedly supplied Moscow with 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers.