ISW discussed the potential consequences of North Korea's involvement in the war against Ukraine.

North Korean troops are deploying large assault groups for combat operations, despite frequent strikes from Ukrainian drones. This has resulted in a high level of casualties for North Korea and will influence the lessons that the military command of the Asian nation will learn from these hostilities.

This information comes from RBK-Ukraine, citing a report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The report referenced a publication by The Washington Post dated January 11, noting that North Korean soldiers engaged in the Kursk region are attacking in large groups with the support of Russian artillery and drones. In contrast, Russian troops typically operate in smaller groups.

The publication also highlights that North Korean soldiers continue to advance, notwithstanding the strikes from Ukrainian drones targeting their personnel.

The report states that Russian forces are following behind North Korean troops to "stabilize the gains." However, a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces involved in the fighting in the Kursk region pointed out that communication issues between the Russian and North Korean troops could hinder the consolidation of new positions by the Russians.

According to the serviceman, in December 2024, North Korean forces assaulted Ukrainian positions with between 400 to 500 personnel, with their total numbers being six times greater than that of the Ukrainian military.

After eight hours of fighting, Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat due to a lack of ammunition. This indicates that even with poor tactics, North Korean forces rely on superior manpower to push forward.

Massive Losses

A Ukrainian serviceman also reported significant losses in the 810th Marine Brigade of Russia (Black Sea Fleet, Southern Military District). This likely prompted the Russian military command to deploy North Korean troops in the Kursk region sooner than initially planned.

Western officials recently noted that North Korean forces are suffering heavy losses. For instance, at the end of December 2024, around 1000 North Korean soldiers were killed in the Kursk region within a single week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that as of January 5, 3800 North Korean servicemen had been killed or wounded in the Kursk region—approximately one-third of the 12,000 soldiers present in that area. He mentioned that on January 3 and 4 alone, North Korean troops lost up to a battalion of infantry near Makhnovka in the Kursk region.

"ISW continues to assess that North Korea's ability to absorb and integrate lessons learned during combat alongside Russian forces is likely to deteriorate significantly. This will occur if the Russian military command employs North Korean troops in high-casualty attacks on a scale similar to or greater than that experienced by most Russian personnel," the report states.

The Institute for the Study of War is also convinced that the inability or refusal of North Korean troops to learn how to effectively counter Ukrainian drones will negatively impact the lessons they can derive from this conflict.

The Role of North Korean Military in Russia's War Against Ukraine

In late October of last year, the first North Korean soldiers arrived in the Kursk region to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.

It later became clear that Pyongyang was prepared to send 12,000 troops to bolster the Russian army.

In early January, the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported the capture of the first North Korean soldiers.

Subsequently, the Defense Forces released media footage of the detentions.

One of the North Korean soldiers was found with a fake military ID in the name of a real resident of the Tyva settlement.