Over 6,000 N. Korean Troops Killed or Injured in Ukraine War: British Defense Ministry

According to the British defense ministry, North Korean troops have faced over 6,000 casualties in Ukraine’s Kursk region, which is more than half of the approximately 11,000 initially deployed. This is a revision from an earlier estimate of over 5,000 casualties. The ministry indicates that combat operations have been largely limited to the Kursk area, with further deployment dependent on approval from Russia and North Korea’s leaders.

In a striking update, the British defense ministry reports that North Korean forces have suffered over 6,000 casualties while engaged in conflict in Ukraine’s Kursk region. This figure represents more than half of the troops initially sent by Pyongyang. The ministry revealed these statistics in a post on X, just two months after estimating the casualty count at approximately 5,000.

The analysis outlines that the total number of casualties has now surpassed half of the roughly 11,000 troops North Korea deployed to Kursk at the outset. “Significant DPRK casualty rates have almost certainly been sustained primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report stated. For clarity, DPRK is an acronym for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is North Korea’s official title.

So far, North Korea’s military activities within the ongoing war have been largely limited to the Kursk region. According to the British ministry, any potential order to extend their operations into Ukrainian territory would likely require joint approval from both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Since first sending around 11,000 troops to Russia last year, North Korea is believed to have dispatched an additional 3,000 soldiers to the Kursk region this year alone, according to information from South Korea’s military agencies. In a briefing delivered late April, the National Intelligence Service suggested that North Korea’s incurred casualties amounted to approximately 4,700, which includes around 600 reported deaths.

In conclusion, the British defense ministry’s latest figures suggest that North Korea has sustained severe losses, with over 6,000 casualties reported from their engagement in Ukraine’s Kursk region. This raises concerns about their military strategies and implications for their involvement in the ongoing conflict. The potential for expansion of operations appears contingent on approval from both Moscow and Pyongyang.

Original Source: www.koreaherald.com