North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it sent troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast under the orders of leader Kim Jong-un.
In a statement reported by the state-run KCNA news agency, the ruling Workers’ Party described the deployment as demonstrating the "highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship" between North Korea and Russia.
The announcement came as the acting commander of Russia’s 810th Brigade told President Vladimir Putin that the remaining Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region would "soon be destroyed," RIA Novosti reported on April 27, contradicting earlier claims by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov that Russian forces had fully recaptured the area.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said fighting in Kursk Oblast is ongoing.
Ukraine launched its surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign forces since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive on the neighboring Sumy Oblast and draw Russian forces away from the embattled Donetsk region.
Russia launched a push to recapture the region in early March, with Ukraine being forced to pull back from much of the initially taken territory, including the town of Sudzha. As of April 25, Ukrainian battlefield monitoring service DeepState showed Ukrainian forces holding onto limited positions in Kursk Oblast near the border, namely the villages of Oleshnya and Gornal.
The Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party said Kim authorized the deployment based on the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024. "Under the order of the head of state, the sub-units of the armed forces of the Republic regarded the territory of Russia as the one of their country and proved the firm alliance between the two countries," the statement read.
Kim praised the North Korean soldiers who participated, calling them "heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland." KCNA also reported that North Korea "regards it as an honor to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation."
Ukrainian officials estimate that North Korea sent around 11,000 troops to Russia, including 3,000 reinforcements to replace battlefield losses. Although initially suffering heavy casualties due to their lack of armored vehicles and experience in drone warfare, North Korean troops reportedly adapted to the conditions on the ground.
Russia also confirmed on April 26 for the first time that North Korean forces fought alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region. Until now, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang had publicly acknowledged the deployment.
Asami Terajima
(Updated: )
