Roughly 2,000 North Korean troops sent by Pyongyang to support Russia in Ukraine have reportedly died, despite a strategic partnership pact signed by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin.
North Korea’s Military Support in Ukraine
According to recent intelligence assessments, approximately 20,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Ukraine by the North Korean government last year, equipped with artillery and rocket launchers, per South Korean intelligence. The North Korean government confirmed in April that they had sent troops to support Russia and admitted that some soldiers have died in combat.
Government Confirmation and Russian Minister’s Statement
Russia’s Foreign Minister informed that North Korea will send more builders and engineers to the Kursk Region, previously occupied by Ukraine.
Kim Jong Un’s Public Praise for Troops
During a meeting with foreign operations officers in late August, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia in the Ukraine conflict, calling them “heroes.”
Strategic Partnership Pact Between North Korea and Russia
In June last year, Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a strategic partnership treaty that included clauses for mutual defense. Prior to his meeting with the US President Donald Trump on August 15, Kim Jong Un spoke with Putin by phone and reaffirmed his full support for Moscow.
