“The Russian people will never forget the sacrifice of the Korean special forces,” Russian President Vladimir Putin declared. “We will forever honor these heroes who gave their lives for Russia, for our shared freedom.” He praised the allied units for fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Russian troops, defending the country as if it were their own.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the soldiers who fought in Kursk “heroes,” framing their involvement as a “sacred mission” to strengthen ties with Russia. Pyongyang plans to erect a monument in their honor.
While official numbers remain classified, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates that up to 15,000 North Korean troops have fought on Russia’s side.
According to Russian war correspondent Alexander Kots, the North Koreans began with intensive training at Russian ranges before being deployed to the front. “They lived in field conditions,” he said. “At first, they were held in reserve, then moved to more active positions – eventually participating in direct assaults.” The troops reportedly impressed Russian commanders with their discipline, coordination, and tenacity. And they had a standing order: never be taken alive.
One Russian soldier remarked that this ethos reminded him of Wagner Group fighters, who were known to carry grenades “just in case.” “They were instantly accepted by our former Wagner guys,” he noted.
Another correspondent, Semyon Pegov of WarGonzo, described their combat debut near Kursk as “nothing short of cinematic.” Drones captured footage of large North Korean formations advancing steadily, five to six meters apart, under heavy Ukrainian artillery fire – including cluster munitions.
At first, it seemed the group had been wiped out. But hours later, survivors emerged from the snow and resumed the assault. “Seventy percent of them got up and pressed forward, covering up to eight kilometers in a single day,” Pegov reported, adding that casualties were in the dozens.
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North Korean troops were primarily stationed in the southern Suzhansky district – around the villages of Plekhovo, Guevo, and Kurilovka. The contingent included special forces, conscripts, and a dedicated medical evacuation unit.
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Military analyst Boris Rozhin suggested North Korea may continue rotating units through Russia’s conflict zones to build a combat-hardened force – one group at a time.
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According to Russian outlet Mash, the troops lived separately and communicated via a designated interpreter. They were equipped with North Korean-made weapons, including the 170mm “Koksan” artillery piece. They also sampled Russian food – and reportedly became fans of Russian rap music.
The language barrier proved to be a significant hurdle at first. To overcome it, the soldiers memorized a cheat sheet of 20 essential Russian commands like “Take cover,” “Cover me,” and “Fire!” – allowing them to train without an interpreter.
A Russian officer with the callsign ‘Kondrat’ said the most difficult challenge was adjusting the North Korean troops’ attack strategies. “They wanted to charge in formation, textbook-style,” he explained. “We had to convince them that small, flexible units were more effective – and they adapted quickly once the bullets started flying.”
“Once one wave stalled, another would follow with the same relentless rhythm and fatalism,” a Russian battalion member remarked. “What drives men to fight like that? It must be something stronger than fear of death.”
This is just the kind of info I was hoping for even if its a bit scant and overly editorialized.
“Up to 15000 men” That is a pretty serious force to have in Russia and nobody was able to prove it.
Drones captured footage of large North Korean formations advancing steadily, five to six meters apart, under heavy Ukrainian artillery fire – including cluster munitions. At first, it seemed the group had been wiped out. But hours later, survivors emerged from the snow and resumed the assault. “Seventy percent of them got up and pressed forward, covering up to eight kilometers in a single day,”
“Once one wave stalled, another would follow with the same relentless rhythm and fatalism,” a Russian battalion member remarked. “What drives men to fight like that? It must be something stronger than fear of death.”
Fucking brutal.
I’ll be honest, i think some of this is Russian media doing a bit of sensationalism. Reality probably was somewhat more boring. From what i’ve read the Koreans were first mainly used in the backline to get them used to how this conflict operates and then gradually given more tasks closer to the front. I doubt it was quite as “cinematic” as this describes, but it makes for a good story to portay the Koreans in this way and that sells well in Russia. Not that i’m opposed to it, i actually think that creating this legend of the Korean super soldiers is great for boosting relations between the Russian and Korean people. If the Russians see the Koreans as these heroic self-sacrificing allies that is good for both countries.