Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The new estimate surpasses estimates from both South Korean and British intelligence.
It’s nothing new that North Korea has sent troops to help Russia in the war in Ukraine.
What is more foggy is the number of troops sent by Kim Jong-Un and the number of casualties among the North Korean troops while fighting for Putin.
Previous estimates from South Korean and British intelligence put the casualties at around 6,000 troops in 2024 and 2025, but according to new figures from Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), those estimates are too low.
In a new estimate, HUR claims North Korean troops fighting for Putin actually suffered over 7,000 casualties. These losses happened in the Kursk region across 2024 and 2025, according to the Kyiv Independent.
The losses piled up during Ukraine’s surprise cross-border raid from August 2024 to March 2025.
The new figures have not been independently verified.
Hiding the bodies
So far, Pyongyang has said absolutely nothing about its casualties. The silence is very deliberate.
In a statement to the Kyiv Independent, the Ukrainian intelligence agency said, “The North Korean regime is trying to conceal the actual losses that its army units suffered in the war against the Ukrainian Defense Forces,”
Even so, the hidden losses have not stopped the deployment. Citing South Korean intelligence, the Yonhap news agency reported that about 11,000 North Korean troops were still stationed in the Kursk area in early 2026 to prop up Moscow’s forces.
On the ground, Ukrainian frontline soldiers reported that while the North Koreans were initially unready for drone warfare, they adapted fast and showed strict discipline.
A deadly trade
The relationship between the two nuclear-armed states goes much deeper than just troops. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has also stepped up its imports of North Korean artillery shells and ballistic missiles.
This steady flow keeps the Russian war machine moving forward. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency warned that, “Aid from North Korea allows Russia to continue its war against Ukraine, having become a steady source of supplies.”
In the end, both authoritarian regimes get exactly what they want from the deal. As the intelligence statement explained, “This military partnership benefits both countries: Moscow makes up for its shortage of ammunition and manpower, while Pyongyang, in return, gains a technological boost for the development of its missile and nuclear capabilities.”
