North Korean troops assisting Russian forces in Kursk de-mining operations
North Korean soldiers have been dispatched to the Kursk region to help Russian forces clear extensive fields of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines left after heavy fighting along the Russia–Ukraine border.
The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was "grateful to our friends" in North Korea "for their selfless, heroic assistance." Russian defence ministry footage has shown DPRK personnel being briefed on different mine types and mine-detection equipment, participating in training drills and singing patriotic songs.
According to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western sources, Pyongyang sent roughly 14,000 troops to the Kursk area last year; those sources estimate more than 6,000 of those soldiers were killed. North Korea has acknowledged involvement in the conflict but has not confirmed detailed roles or casualty figures.
"They’re great lads, they learn quickly, listen attentively and take notes," said a Russian commander using the call sign "Veles."
The mine-clearing work is taking place along the border area north of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv — the same sector that saw intense fighting in 2024. In August 2024 Ukrainian forces carried out a major incursion into Kursk, prompting roughly 200,000 civilians to flee. Ukrainian units held substantial ground for months before Russia regained the initiative, reportedly aided by North Korean deployments in October 2024.
Russian media and officials say Ukrainian forces left behind an unusually dense pattern of mines, leaving some areas too hazardous for civilians to return. The presence of these munitions makes de-mining a lengthy and dangerous task, and Moscow has highlighted the role of DPRK personnel in accelerating clearance efforts.
Ukraine’s defence intelligence has also reported that North Korea is using battlefield experience to expand domestic production of small, short-range FPV (first-person-view) drones and larger medium-range attack drones. Major General Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine’s defence intelligence, told Reuters that "they are learning... in order to expand production in their own territory." He also estimated that North Korea has supplied about 6.5 million artillery shells to Russia since 2023, though some consignments were reportedly old and required refurbishment at Russian facilities.
Analysts say the de-mining operation and prior troop deployments underscore a deepening military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang — one that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has described as set to "advance non-stop." While these developments are significant for regional security and humanitarian return efforts, independent verification of some claims — including exact troop numbers and casualty figures — remains limited.
Key points:
- North Korean troops are engaged in mine-clearance operations in Russia’s Kursk region.
- Estimated 14,000 DPRK soldiers were sent to Kursk in 2024; Western and regional sources report over 6,000 deaths among them.
- Ukraine says Pyongyang is scaling up FPV and medium-range drone production and has supplied millions of artillery shells to Russia.
- Mine contamination from intense fighting has left some areas unsafe for civilian return.
