Russia does not want to acknowledge the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region, so as not to demonstrate its dependence on foreign assistance in defending its own territory.
Points of attention
- Russia is hiding the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region to avoid showing its dependence on foreign defense assistance.
- Putin is afraid to acknowledge the presence of North Korean troops, as this would indicate his weakness in conducting defensive actions.
- Ukrainian intelligence records losses in North Korean troops during hostilities in Kursk, which confirms the active participation of North Koreans in the conflict.
- Russian officials and media outlets do not confirm the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk, which suggests an attempt to hide the truth.
- Continued losses among North Korean soldiers could have serious consequences for the Russian leadership and undermine its authority in the international community.
Putin is afraid to show his weakness
As analysts note, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed on December 16 that North Korean troops are participating in hostilities in the Kursk region and are suffering losses.
Kirby also noted that in recent days, North Korea has been moving its soldiers from rear positions to the front lines. Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder added that North Korean troops had suffered losses, but did not disclose details on the number of dead or wounded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the Russian military is trying to hide losses among North Korean personnel, in particular by burning the faces of dead North Korean soldiers.
They are also prohibited from showing their faces during exercises, and videos featuring North Koreans are confiscated.
Previously, Ukrainian intelligence indicated that the Russians were trying to disguise North Korean military personnel as soldiers from Buryatia.
Analysts note that Russian officials and state media have still not acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region or their participation in hostilities.
The Kremlin will likely continue to avoid acknowledging the deployment of North Korean troops in the Kursk region. This would be a silent sign that Russia is unable to defend its territory without foreign help. Such an admission would also undermine Vladimir Putin’s claims of a high level of mobilization of Russians due to the events in Kursk.
North Korean soldiers continue to suffer losses during assaults on Kursk
As noted by Ukrainian intelligence, on December 14 and 15, 2024, in the areas of the villages of Plekhovo, Vorozhba, and Martynovka, Kursk Oblast, the Russian aggressor state, units of the DPRK army suffered significant losses — at least 30 soldiers were killed or wounded.
In addition, according to the GUR, at least three North Korean soldiers went missing in the area of the village of Kurilovka.
Due to losses, the assault units are being replenished with new personnel, in particular from the 94th separate brigade of the DPRK army, to continue active combat operations in the Kursk region, the GUR notes.
