North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, have reportedly temporarily withdrawn from the front line in Kursk, after suffering heavy losses. Describing the new development on the battlefield, at a crucial stage in the war, is a Ukrainian special forces commander providing updates to Sky News.
Kiev’s soldiers invaded the Russian region in early August 2024 and still maintain control over a portion of territory. Moscow in recent hours claims to have regained control of the Nikolayevo-Darino area, a small town captured by Ukrainian troops during last year’s offensive.
‘Puls’, the commander’s code name, claims that it is likely that Kim Jong-Un’s men are learning their lesson from the mistakes made during the first bloody clashes with Ukrainian soldiers, and have reportedly retreated to treat the wounded or await reinforcements. “I think they will be back soon,” he adds, speaking from a secret base in north-eastern Ukraine.
Interviews with several Ukrainian military personnel reveal remarkable details about how the North Koreans have fought since they arrived on the battlefield in Kursk in recent weeks. An apparent initial lack of awareness of threats from drones and artillery emerges, with North Korean soldiers attacking on foot, as happened during World War Two, in groups of 20, 40 or even 60 men, making themselves easy targets this way, continuing to advance despite being under Ukrainian fire and with dead and wounded comrades around them.
Pyongyang’s soldiers are constantly wiping out evidence of their presence from the war zone, recovering the wounded and dead. They refuse to be taken alive, preferring to blow themselves up with grenades rather than risk capture.
Pulse even claims that a North Korean soldier was heard shouting “For General Kim Jong-Un” before killing himself. There is also poor coordination between North Korean and Russian forces due to the language barrier. One soldier said radio intercepts revealed that North Koreans had accidentally targeted Russian positions. He also said they would storm Ukrainian positions, taking losses, but that Russian troops would then fail to exploit the gains of these attacks.
The equipment of North Korean soldiers is better than that of many Russian soldiers, including rifles and uniforms. However, the former do not have heavy armour and move only on foot and use golf carts to carry ammunition. “They are all clean-shaven and perfectly groomed, like models,” Pulse said. “It’s also difficult to tell their age. They all seem to be between 25 and 35 years old, maybe up to 40.”
The deployment of North Korean troops has never been officially confirmed. Ukraine and its Western allies say Pyongyang has sent 11,000 soldiers to join the Russian war, focusing on strengthening infantry lines in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops captured swathes of territory in a surprise invasion last August. Neither Kim Jong-Un nor Vladimir Putin have officially confirmed the use of North Korean troops, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that some 4,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or wounded.
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