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North Korea Confirms Troop Deployment to Russia, Citing 4,700 Casualties in Ukraine Conflict

Pyongyang acknowledges sending 18,000 soldiers under a 2024 defense treaty, with Russia providing advanced military technology in return.

People pass by a TV screen reporting North Korea confirms troops deployment to Russia during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, April 28, 2025.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A TV screen shows a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang, during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, April 28, 2025.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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Overview

  • North Korea officially admitted to deploying 18,000 troops to support Russia's operations in Ukraine, marking its first public confirmation of involvement.
  • South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported 4,700 North Korean casualties, including 600 deaths, with 2,000 wounded soldiers repatriated between January and March 2025.
  • The deployment is part of a 2024 defense treaty between North Korea and Russia, which mandates mutual military aid and has deepened their strategic alliance.
  • In exchange for troop support and conventional weapons from North Korea, Russia has provided advanced air-defense missiles, electronic warfare systems, drones, and satellite technology.
  • Captured and repatriated North Korean soldiers have revealed coercive conditions, while international condemnation highlights the breach of UN sanctions.