At least 100 North Korean soldiers killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine war

At least 100 North Korean soldiers killed fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine war

 A South Korean lawmaker has revealed that at least 100 North Korean soldiers were killed while fighting for Russian forces in the Ukraine war. The claim was made by lawmaker Lee Sang-kwon, based on information provided by the country's National Intelligence Service (NIS) in a briefing to the parliament last week.

Lee Sang-kwon also mentioned that among the dead were high-ranking officers, and he cited the lack of training, particularly in ground and drone warfare, as the cause of the casualties.

Reports initially emerged in October that North Korea had sent 10,000 soldiers to support Russia’s military efforts. Later, a spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that North Korean soldiers had been killed fighting against Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, although no specific numbers were provided.

According to intelligence reports, most of the North Korean soldiers had no prior combat experience and received training in Russia before being sent to the front lines.

So far, these events have not been independently verified by the BBC. However, South Korean intelligence and other sources have claimed that the casualties occurred in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are holding a small area that was captured by a surprise Russian attack in August.

Last Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had begun deploying a "significant number" of North Korean soldiers for its attacks in Kursk.

Neither Russia nor North Korea has officially confirmed the deployment of soldiers, but on Thursday, a statement from North Korea said that their unity with Moscow "creates resistance against the evil influence of the United States and the Western world."