Reports indicate that North Korean contingent of approximately 12,000 personnel deployed in russia’s Kursk region could face complete elimination by mid-April 2025 if current casualty trends persist. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed in early January 2025 that 3,800 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded since their arrival.
The Defense Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umerov noted in November 2024 that North Korean forces were initially involved in small-scale clashes. However, russian military bloggers reported a significant escalation of their involvement in early December 2024, with North Korean units engaging in more intensive combat operations. Since then, casualty rates have averaged 92 personnel per day.
Read more: South Korean Intelligence Reports Heavy North Korean Losses in Ukraine War, 300 Killed and 2,700 Wounded
The National Intelligence Service of South Korea further confirmed on January 13, 2025, that 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed and 2,700 wounded. These figures highlight the disproportionate ratio of wounded to killed, which is typical in modern warfare but raises questions about the capacity to reintegrate injured personnel into combat.
Should this unsustainable loss rate continue, the entire North Korean force in Kursk region risks being wiped out within approximately 12 weeks. This grim projection underscores the precarious nature of North Korea’s involvement in russia’s military operations and the severe toll it is taking on its personnel.
Read more: Ukrainian SOF Operators Eliminated 18 North Korean Soldiers In russia’s Kursk Region (Video)
