Kim Jong Un Acknowledges Losses in Ukraine Conflict

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, during a ceremony on Friday, seemed to be the first to openly recognize that the thousands of troops he sent to support Russian President Vladimir Putin had faced defeat. This admission comes after he had dispatched these soldiers to the Kursk region of Russia for the conflict.

In a solemn event featuring images of 100 North Korean soldiers, Kim tearfully praised these “heroic” individuals, even while holding back tears as he embraced their children. It’s significant that this marks the first time he has acknowledged losses, albeit a small fraction of the approximately 600 casualties reported earlier by South Korean intelligence.

The South Korean National Intelligence Agency indicated that nearly 15,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia in April, with around 4,700 casualties noted. Kim stated, “The combat activities of overseas operational power prove the strength of our heroes without regrets,” as reported by East 2 West News Service. He also noted, “The liberation of Kursk proved the spirit of heroic battle.”

According to reports, after Ukraine initiated a cross-border operation in August 2024, the Russian army largely regained control over Kursk. However, clashes are said to persist in that region as Ukrainian forces continue their engagements with Russian troops.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials announced that they successfully carried out a drone strike against the Novo Sahatinsky oil refinery in southern Russia, one of the largest oil producers in the area.

In the fall of 2024, approximately 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk, with an additional 3,000 sent in early 2025 aimed at countering Ukrainian actions. The current number of North Korean troops still in southwestern Russia remains unclear.

Earlier this year, there were suggestions that North Korea might consider sending more troops to assist Moscow by late summer, but it remains uncertain if any additional foreign soldiers have been deployed to Russia.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Kim hinted that North Korea’s role in the war with Ukraine might soon reach a “conclusion of victory in overseas military operations,” leaving the fate of the troops already on the ground uncertain.