Espreso. Global

North Korea prepares second wave of troops to aid Russia in Ukraine war

18 January, 2025 Saturday
15:15

North Korean troops, integrated into Russian forces, have suffered unprecedented losses in the Kursk region, with reinforcements expected as their initial deployment fails to achieve strategic objectives

client/title.list_title

Military and political observer with the Information Resistance Group Oleksandr Kovalenko expressed this opinion on his Telegram channel.

According to Kovalenko, the first units consisting of North Korean soldiers began participating in combat operations in Russia's Kursk region, primarily within the 810th Marine Brigade, from late October to early November 2024, but in very limited numbers. The peak involvement of North Koreans occurred in December 2024.

As of November 1, 2024, a total of 970 square kilometers of Kursk region were under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and in the gray zone. Currently, the Ukrainian troops control zone and the gray zone together cover 630 square kilometers.

In fact, the majority of losses occurred in December and the first half of January. However, even considering November, the average loss rate is around 60 casualties per day. If calculated correctly, considering the initial phase and the current average figures, we are talking about 80-90 casualties per day. Roughly speaking, this amounts to a company per day.

The analyst notes that no Russian formation, participating in the narrow section of the front, has suffered such large-scale losses. The 12,000 soldiers sent to Russia from North Korea represent, by Russian standards, an understrength army corps. However, during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, no Russian army corps has sustained losses at the level of a 30% loss of combat effectiveness in such a short period of time. To reduce an army corps by a third in two months requires a certain level of skill.

“Therefore, the second wave of North Korean infantry is inevitable, and it will arrive much sooner than the remaining 12,000 troops are wiped out. Especially since the command of the Northern Group of Forces has failed to complete the assigned task - to regain control over the entire Kursk region before the inauguration of Donald Trump, which will not happen in the near future, even after this significant event. This is even without considering the quagmire in which the "Lapintsy" forces are stuck in the north of Kharkiv region, between Lyptsi and Vovchansk,” Kovalenko concludes.

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Thursday
6 February
18:30
Ukraine open to discuss transfer of captured North Korean soldiers with South Korea
18:15
Keith Kellogg denies presenting Trump's Ukraine Peace Plan at Munich conference
17:50
Exclusive
Putin engages in backchannel talks, aiming for a "peace" on his terms
17:27
Russia plans to complete "renovation" of Mariupol drama theater by end of 2025
17:06
Exclusive
At least 20,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held in Russian captivity
16:42
Ukraine receives F-16 fighter jets from Netherlands
16:19
OPINION
Moscow will drag out negotiations as long as possible
16:00
Trump envoy Kellogg rejects idea of restoring Ukraine’s nuclear status
15:44
Russian drone strikes densely populated residential area in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
15:25
Ukrainian drones target 66% of Russian military equipment in January — Ukraine's top general
15:07
UK to convene Ramstein meeting on February 12
15:00
Updated
Ukrainian forces strike Russian airfield in Krasnodar region used for launching Shahed drones
14:49
Exclusive
Ukraine's future depends on attracting qualified foreign workers — Ukraine’s Confederation of Employers
14:32
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia to cut ties with Russia’s power grid this weekend
14:13
Russian forces turn to horses, donkeys for frontline supply runs
13:56
First French Mirage 2000 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine
13:37
Exclusive
Bridgehead near Dvorichna, Kharkiv region, keeps expanding — military expert
13:15
Exclusive
Russian army makes no gains in Kupyansk sector for three weeks — Ukrainian officer
12:54
North Korea using Ukraine as testing ground to improve missile accuracy
12:33
OPINION
Zelenskyy open to talks with Putin, but prospects remain dim. Vitaly Portnikov's column
12:11
Review
'Likely Palianytsia missile': strike on Russian oil refinery, cutting-edge tech Ukrainian innovators offer military. Serhiy Zgurets’ column
11:48
Exclusive
UK moves to take lead in cooperation with Ukraine — diplomat
11:29
Exclusive
Putin has no interest in negotiations, Trump must realize it fast — diplomat
11:10
Exclusive
Russia’s top strategy: provoking elections in Ukraine with temporary ceasefire — political scientist
10:51
Trump envoy Keith Kellogg to visit Ukraine on February 20 — media
10:34
90 clashes at front on Feb. 5: Ukrainian forces halt 24 Russian attacks in Pokrovsk sector
10:12
Russia loses nearly 40,000 troops in six months of Kursk operation — Ukraine's General Staff
09:35
Russia loses 1,240 soldiers, 46 artillery systems, 16 armored vehicles in one day of war in Ukraine
2025, Wednesday
5 February
21:30
Ukraine’s Defense Forces destroyed 13,000 Russian artillery systems in 2024
21:15
Zelenskyy believes Kursk operation will be key in negotiations
21:00
Exclusive
Ukraine gets weapons to exert strategic pressure on Russia
20:41
Exclusive
What Trump really meant about Ukrainian rare earth metals
20:20
Exclusive
Russian troops dig multi-story trenches hard to clear, says Ukrainian serviceman
19:54
Russia establishes new foothold on right bank of Oskil River, Kharkiv region
19:30
Explosion near Kamianets-Podilskyi recruitment center kills one, injures four
19:10
Exclusive
Killing of recruitment officer is consequence of Russia's special operations in Ukraine
18:45
Ukraine proposes storing American gas in its facilities
18:20
OPINION
Flaw in "everything was fine if not that damned Putin" narrative
17:55
Russian conscripts sent to Ukraine frontline despite Kremlin’s promises
17:30
Ukraine-U.S. cooperation goes beyond natural resources for mutual benefit — FM Sybiha
More news