Ukraine Estimates 3,800 North Korean Casualties as Troops Suffer Heavy Losses in Kursk

Ukraine reports that North Korean casualties in the ongoing conflict have reached 3,800. In a U.S. podcast interview on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided this estimate of North Korean losses. Zelenskyy revealed that of the 12,000 North Korean troops that arrived, 3,800 have been killed or wounded to date. He noted that given North Korea’s authoritarian regime, it could potentially deploy an additional 30,000 to 40,000 troops or even up to 500,000 more. This follows Zelenskyy’s previous statement on X last month, where he reported North Korean casualties exceeding 3,000.

U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence sources indicate that North Korea has deployed approximately 12,000 troops to the Russian-held Kursk region. These North Korean forces have been integrated into Russian marine and airborne units and are engaged in counteroffensives against Ukrainian forces. Local reports suggest that North Korean troops repeatedly employ human wave tactics across open terrain with minimal cover.

North Korean forces are suffering heavy losses, exposed to Ukrainian drone strikes and artillery fire. Russia appears to be gaining ground in Kursk despite these losses, where the North Korean troops are stationed. A U.S. official recently told Bloomberg that Ukraine might lose control of Kursk to Russia within months.

North Korean troops may have had a limited impact on the overall strategic situation, but they are a valuable manpower resource for Russia’s war effort. A U.S. official projects that if Russia launches a major counteroffensive, North Korea could deploy an additional 8,000 troops by next spring. The conflict intensifies as President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged an early end to the war, prepares to take office.