According to South Korean lawmakers referencing their intelligence agency, about 600 North Korean soldiers have died while fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine.
The total number of North Korean casualties, including both injuries and fatalities, is around 4,700. Some military forces from various nations have displayed noticeably enhanced combat skills recently, utilizing modern weapons like drones, lawmakers noted.
“It seems that after roughly six months in the conflict, their effectiveness decreased initially, but then they adapted significantly by employing new weaponry,” said Lee Sung Kwen, a member of the Congressional Intelligence Committee, speaking to the press after updates from the National Intelligence Agency.
Approximately 15,000 troops from North Korea have been sent to the Ukraine conflict.
Putin expressed gratitude towards North Korea for their military support, stating: “Never forget heroism.”
South Korean lawmakers said about 600 North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russia. (Sputnik/Kristina Kormilityna/Kremlin byReuters)
Following the defense treaty established last year, North Korea has committed to supplying both troops and armaments to Russia, while receiving technical support for spy satellites and military technologies.
Notably, North Korea has openly acknowledged, for the first time, that it has deployed its soldiers to Ukraine, claiming involvement in Russia’s capture of the Kursk region.
Kim Jong Un stated that North Korean troops would assist Russian forces in “eradicating and dismantling Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupations,” asserting they made a “meaningful contribution” to Russia’s territorial gains.
For the first time, North Korea confirmed it had sent troops to fight Ukrainian forces. (Getty Images)
Putin thanked North Korea for their military assistance and assured that their sacrifices would not go unremembered.
“The heroism of the DPRK special forces will always be honored by the Russians,” Putin remarked. “We continue to fight for the freedom of Russia alongside our brothers.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that Russia could offer military support to North Korea as needed under the current treaty.
Trump questioned whether Russian leaders genuinely seek peace or are merely pretending.
Putin expressed gratitude for North Korean troops and vowed to remember their sacrifices. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin Reuters/File Photo)
There’s been a noticeable increase in cooperation between these two historical adversaries recently.
Lee indicated that the remains of fallen North Korean soldiers were cremated in Kursk prior to their return to their homeland.
Reports suggest that North Korea has dispatched about 15,000 workers to support Russia, according to intelligence sources.
On a somewhat separate note, President Trump speculated on Saturday about Putin’s possible desire to conclude the conflict, mentioning just a day earlier that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia seemed “very close to a deal.”
