Exclusive: First Official Footage Confirms North Korean Troops Fighting Alongside Russia in Ukraine.

On April 28, 2025, Russian state media released footage confirming the active deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces in the Kursk border region, a significant development in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Kursk region, located in western Russia, shares a direct border with Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, making it a frontline area in the conflict. The video, disseminated by the Russian press agency TASS, showcases Russian and North Korean soldiers jointly installing the flags of their respective nations in a recently recaptured settlement, symbolizing their deepening military cooperation.
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North Korean and Russian soldiers conduct joint combat training in a recently recaptured settlement in the Kursk border region, highlighting their growing military cooperation. (Picture source: TASS Russian agency video footage)

Additionally, the TASS video footage reveals North Korean troops participating in combat training exercises with Russian units, indicating that their presence is not ceremonial but operationally integrated into the frontline dynamics of the conflict.

This public acknowledgment follows official statements by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who have recently confirmed the active participation of North Korean forces in Ukraine. President Putin, during a televised address, publicly thanked Kim Jong-un for dispatching military personnel to assist Russian units in reclaiming critical territories in the Kursk region. According to intelligence estimates, approximately 14,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed so far, with reports suggesting they have suffered significant casualties due to the intensity of the fighting. This marks the first major overseas combat deployment of North Korean troops since the Vietnam War, signaling Pyongyang’s willingness to project military force abroad in support of strategic allies.

The Kursk region, situated in western Russia and bordering Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, has been at the epicenter of fierce military engagements. In August 2024, Ukrainian forces mounted a surprising cross-border offensive, capturing up to 1,376 square kilometers of Russian territory, including around 100 towns and villages. This marked one of Kyiv’s boldest territorial pushes inside Russia since the start of the war in 2022. However, following several months of counter-operations — now visibly reinforced by North Korean combat units — Russian forces have regained significant ground. Moscow now asserts that it has reestablished full control over the area. The strategic significance of the Kursk region lies not only in its function as a defensive buffer zone protecting Russia's interior but also as a potential springboard for future offensive operations against Ukrainian positions across the border.

The involvement of North Korean troops in Ukraine is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, deepening defense partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang. Since early 2023, amid intensifying Western sanctions, Russia has increasingly turned to North Korea for military supplies to sustain its war effort. Open-source intelligence and Western officials have confirmed that Pyongyang has transferred significant quantities of military hardware to Russia. These shipments have included artillery shells, particularly 122mm and 152mm caliber munitions, rockets, and possibly even short-range ballistic missiles adapted from North Korean domestic stockpiles. By late 2024, it was reported that over 1,000 containers of ammunition and other military supplies had been delivered by sea and rail from North Korea to Russian ports.

In addition to conventional ammunition, North Korea has supplied Russia with several types of artillery systems and missiles. Among the artillery systems provided, the M-1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled howitzer stands out. This long-range artillery piece, capable of striking targets up to 60 kilometers away, has been instrumental in Russia's artillery campaigns in Ukraine, particularly in areas like Kursk. Ukrainian forces have reported the destruction of several Koksan units on the battlefield, indicating their active deployment. North Korea has also transferred the M-1991 240mm multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS), enhancing Russia’s capability to deliver concentrated rocket fire over wide areas. Approximately 120 units of these MLRS have been reportedly handed over, providing Russian forces with greater saturation bombardment capabilities.

In the realm of ballistic missiles, North Korea has delivered KN-23 and KN-24 short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. These solid-fueled missiles, with ranges of up to 600 kilometers, are highly maneuverable and designed for precision strikes against critical infrastructure and military positions. Ukrainian authorities have attributed several devastating strikes, including attacks on key logistics hubs and urban centers, to these North Korean-supplied systems.

The military cooperation between Russia and North Korea was formalized through a historic defense treaty signed in June 2024, which committed both nations to closer military-technical collaboration. Under the terms of this agreement, Russia has reportedly pledged to assist North Korea with satellite technology advancements and possibly even sensitive dual-use nuclear technologies. In exchange, North Korea’s support has not only included military personnel and equipment but also active intelligence-sharing and joint training exercises. This mutual cooperation is altering the balance of power on the battlefield, allowing Russia to prolong its military campaign despite heavy international sanctions.

The influx of North Korean military equipment and personnel has had a tangible impact on the ground, enabling Russian forces to sustain prolonged artillery engagements and precision missile strikes. It has also raised significant international alarm, with the United States, South Korea, Japan, and NATO countries condemning the move and calling for new rounds of sanctions. The direct participation of North Korean soldiers on Ukrainian soil, combined with the heavy transfer of artillery and missile systems, underscores the increasingly internationalized nature of the Ukraine conflict and highlights a new axis of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea that could have long-term strategic consequences.