North Korean troops already clashed with Ukrainian Defense Forces in Kursk Oblast battles

Over 11,000 North Korean soldiers are reportedly stationed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast and have clashed with Ukrainian troops, Anatoliy Barhylevych, chief of the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, said during the national telethon program.

"More than 11,000 North Korean soldiers are already stationed in Kursk Oblast. And they have already clashed with our military on the battlefield," Barhylevych stated. 

He clarified that the DPRK's military personnel are mainly in general military units trained for combat operations.

"They are disguised as indigenous people of the Far East. They have the appropriate documents. They are legalized and trained by Russians to conduct operations in the European part," Barhylevych added.

On November 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia had transferred approximately 11,000 North Korean troops to the region.

As of November 22, Ukrainian forces have reportedly lost control over an additional 500 square kilometers in Kursk Oblast, according to sources within Ukraine’s General Staff.

Further reports by Global Defense Corp on November 23 claimed that 500 North Korean soldiers and a Russian general were killed in fighting within Kursk Oblast. 

That same day, Zelenskyy alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk by January 20, 2025, ahead of the U.S. presidential inauguration.