The U.S. Department of Defense revealed on Monday that North Korean troops deployed to the Ukrainian conflict have engaged in active combat, with reports of casualties.
According to foreign reports, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder stated, “We believe North Korean forces have engaged in combat in the Kursk region,” adding, “We do have indications that they have suffered casualties, both killed and wounded.”
However, Ryder did not provide specific casualty figures for North Korean troops.
This is the first time the U.S. has officially confirmed that North Korean troops deployed to Ukraine engaged in combat and sustained casualties.
While the Ukraine war, which began in February 2022, reached a stalemate, North Korea forged a security alliance with Russia and reportedly deployed over 10,000 troops to Russian territory.
Ukraine has consistently claimed the involvement of North Korean troops and that casualties have occurred, but the U.S. had previously been unable to confirm these reports.
This announcement, while disclosing specific details, officially confirmed that North Korean troops had engaged in combat and that casualties occurred.
Meanwhile, Kursk, the Russian territory, became a target of Ukrainian operations in August as part of an effort to disperse Russian forces deployed on the eastern front.
Due to Russia’s attacks, combat has been confined to Ukrainian territory until now. However, Ukraine’s sudden shift to an offensive strategy has brought the fight to Russian territory, with Kursk as the initial target.
Russian forces are struggling to regain control of areas lost during Ukraine’s surprise attack in the region.
It is known that North Korean troops are heavily concentrated in this area.
