Overview

• North Korea has sent approximately 11,000 to 12,000 soldiers to support Russia's military efforts in Ukraine, marking its largest foreign deployment in history.
• The troops, primarily from North Korea's elite Storm Corps, have been involved in high-casualty 'human wave' assaults in the Kursk region, with estimates suggesting thousands have been killed or injured.
• North Korean soldiers are described as disciplined, well-trained, and relentless, though their tactics are outdated and often result in significant losses during combat.
• Ukraine has captured at least two North Korean prisoners of war, with one expressing a desire to stay in Ukraine and the other seeking to return to North Korea.
• Reports suggest North Korean forces have temporarily withdrawn from the battlefield due to heavy losses, though additional deployments or re-engagements remain a possibility.