Kim Jong Un, the Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, observed a tank unit competition among the Korean People’s Army’s combined units in March. / Korean Central News Agency
Reports indicate that North Korean troops deployed to Russia have already engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces, resulting in most of them falling in the battle.
On Monday, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported on the clash between North Korean and Ukrainian troops, citing statements from Jonas Ohman, representative of the Lithuanian non-profit organization Blue/Yellow.
Ohman, relying on credible sources, revealed that Ukrainian forces clashed with North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region. He stated that all members of the North Korean unit, except one, were killed in action. Ohman added that the survivor had documents indicating he was Buryat.
However, Ohman did not provide specific information regarding the number of casualties or the exact location of the conflict.
According to Ohman, signs of North Korean troop deployment to Russia were first detected about six months ago. At that time, North Korean forces reportedly trained with local military units in Belarus, including the 103rd Belarusian Airborne Brigade. Around 1,500 North Korean troops were initially deployed, but this number allegedly increased to 11,000 and then to 12,000. Ohman emphasized that this force could grow to 88,000 troops, insisting that this information is based on concrete intelligence rather than mere rumors.
Ohman also analyzed the nature of Kursk Clash as experimental. He predicted that North Korean troops are likely to be used as cannon fodder in the future. They could potentially be integrated into Russian forces at the company or battalion level if deemed effective.
When asked about how Russia is coordinating with North Korean troops, Ohman mentioned that Russian commanders are struggling due to the lack of Korean speakers and pointed out that North Korean troops are becoming a major headache for the Russian military.
Ohman further explained that while North Korean troops are likely equipped with at least mortars, they probably don’t have their artillery, adding that currently, North Korean forces are using Russian weapons.
As this report has not yet been officially confirmed, Ukrainian authorities and local media have not released any statements