According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the first North Korean troops in Russian service are close to fighting in the Kursk Oblast. 

The news signifies another milestone in the war in Ukraine and one of the most concerning as it threatens to globalize the conflict.  

North Koreans in Kursk  

In August, the Ukrainian military conducted a surprise attack inside the Kursk Oblast, in Russia, catching the Kremlin off guard. The Ukrainians have captured hundreds of square kilometers of territory and dozens of settlements. Despite earnest efforts, the Russian military has failed to completely dislodge the Ukrainian forces. Enter the North Koreans.  

“It is now highly likely that the transfer of hundreds of combat troops from North Korea to Russia has begun,” British Defense Secretary John Healey MP said in parliament on Tuesday.  

Likely, the Kremlin will initially limit the involvement of North Korean troops inside Russian soil, that is the Kursk Oblast, in an attempt to avoid wider pushback. But the move has been made, and now North Korea is involved in a European conflict. A pariah nuclear state with unstable leadership is now a combatant in the largest conflict on European soil since World War Two.  

“North Korean soldiers supporting Russia’s war of aggression on European soil. It is as shocking as it is desperate. North Korea already sends significant munitions and arms to Russia in direct violation of multiple UN resolutions,” Healey added.  

“This developing military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK has serious security implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific. It represents a wider, growing alliance of aggression, which NATO and the G7 nations must confront,” the British Defense Secretary.  

Meanwhile, the Russian forces continue to push hard across the contact line to make tactical gains. However, the Russian offensives are losing steam due to the extremely heavy casualties Moscow’s forces have been taking in the fighting. Moscow has been losing over 1,000 men killed and wounded every day for the past four months. The need to call on Pyongyang for help and troops highlights the difficulties the Russian military is facing. 

“Russian forces have made significant tactical advances into and around Selydove in recent days, but the Russian military command's apparent focus on securing Selydove has come at the expense of Russian forces' ability to sustain a meaningful offensive drive directly on Pokrovsk: Russia's self-defined operational objective on this sector of the front,” the Institute for the Study of War assessed in its latest operational assessment of the conflict.  

Even Chinese President Xi Jinping urged his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, to de-escalate and not add fuel to the fire by allowing third parties into the conflict, which could lead to the escalation of hostilities.  

Beijing has kept an ambivalent position concerning Ukraine. On the one hand, Chinese officials have been urging for de-escalation, but on the other hand, Beijing hasn’t used its influence and position to end the bloodshed.  

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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