NAIROBI, Kenya — In a dramatic shift that could rattle global tensions even further, North Korea has officially confirmed it sent soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
The announcement, made through state-run KCNA news agency, marks Pyongyang’s first public admission of its military involvement in the ongoing war. And if that wasn’t enough to raise eyebrows, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is hailing his troops as “heroes,” claiming they helped Russia “completely liberate” the embattled Kursk region — a claim that Ukraine flatly denies.
For months, Western intelligence and South Korean officials had sounded the alarm, warning that Pyongyang was quietly sending forces to the front lines. Now, it’s no longer speculation.
According to KCNA, the deployment falls under a mutual defense pact recently strengthened by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin.
The North Korean soldiers, reportedly elite members of the so-called “Storm Corps,” were dispatched to Kursk in support of Russian operations. Russia’s top military officer, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, even praised their “heroism” — a rare public nod to the controversial alliance.
But it hasn’t been without cost. Western officials estimate that at least 1,000 of the 11,000 deployed North Korean troops have been killed in just three months.
KCNA painted the operation as more than just a military maneuver. It called the Kursk mission a “friendship proven by blood,” suggesting that the shared battlefield experience would fortify ties between Pyongyang and Moscow “in every way.”
While the romanticized rhetoric sounds compelling, the U.S. had a sharp response, warning that North Korea now shares responsibility for prolonging the war in Ukraine.
There’s also no clear word yet on what happens to the North Korean troops after their mission in Kursk concludes — whether they’ll be allowed to return home or remain engaged in further combat operations.
The North’s move follows the landmark security agreement signed by Kim and Putin last year, pledging mutual support in the face of “aggression” — a deal that seems to be moving from paper promises to real-world consequences fast.
Despite the bold declarations, military experts say North Korea’s troops are facing serious challenges.
According to former British Army tank commander Col. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, these soldiers are “barely trained” and struggle with communication under Russian command.
Yet, numbers matter. Ukraine’s top military chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, recently warned that North Korean forces, despite being inexperienced by modern warfare standards, are causing significant strain on the Ukrainian frontlines.
Operating with Soviet-style tactics, these units focus on overwhelming Ukrainian defenses with sheer volume.
“They are numerous. They are motivated. And they are conducting offensive operations,” Syrskyi said during a televised interview on TSN Tyzhden.
North Korea’s confirmation of boots on the ground signals a dangerous escalation — not just in Ukraine, but globally.
