North Korean forces deployed in Russia¡¯s Kursk region have suffered several hundred casualties in clashes with Ukrainian troops, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
The losses have occurred among almost all ranks of the North Korean troops as the Ukrainians successfully targeted their new enemy¡¯s command and control nodes, the officials told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials did not provide specific numbers on missing, dead and wounded or if some of the wounded could go back into action.
Ukrainian forces have been digging in to defend territory they seized in Kursk over the summer, which the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes will bring it more leverage if and when it enters into negotiations with Russia.
On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump said Ukraine should reach an accord and downplayed the value of land occupied by Moscow¡¯s forces, in the latest indication he might push for a settlement that codifies Russian territorial gains.
Keith Kellogg, Trump¡¯s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia plans to visit Kyiv next month and would be open to meetings in Moscow if invited, as the incoming administration seeks to end the nearly three-year war.
While the Russians have gained significant ground in Kursk, Ukrainian forces are likely to be able to hold on for at least a few months, the officials said, adding that it will be a challenge to sustain that position over time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has forged a closer relationship with North Korea¡¯s leader, Kim Jong Un, since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In June, he visited Kim in Pyongyang.
Although the roughly 12,000 North Korean troops are special operations forces, they had yet to see combat before their arrival in Russia, which could explain why they¡¯re suffering the level of casualties they have, the officials added.
North Korea typically does its talking to the outside world through its official media, which has made no comment on the reported casualties, or even on the deployment of North Koreans to assist Russia.
South Korea¡¯s National Intelligence Service is looking into the reports of the deaths of North Korean troops, Yonhap News agency reported.
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