For the first time, North Korea has publicly confirmed that it dispatched troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, following a direct order from leader Kim Jong Un. The announcement declared that North Korean forces contributed to reclaiming Russian territory previously seized by Ukrainian forces.

The triumph in retaking parts of Russia’s Kursk region, according to the North's official KCNA news agency, symbolizes the "highest level of unwavering militant camaraderie" between Pyongyang and Moscow.

Last week, Russian officials claimed they had successfully pushed Ukrainian forces from the last occupied village in Kursk, a statement Kyiv quickly refuted, insisting Ukrainian troops remain active within Russian borders.

The Central Military Commission of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party stated that Kim Jong Un personally authorized the troop deployment, citing the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.

KCNA reported that North Korean units displayed "heroic and selfless bravery" on the battlefield, fighting as fiercely as if defending their own homeland. Kim reportedly hailed them as "heroes and proud defenders of the nation’s honour."

The agency further emphasized North Korea's pride in aligning itself with "a strong and formidable state like the Russian Federation."

In response, the U.S. State Department condemned the troop deployment, calling for an immediate end o North Korean involvement and Russian support in return. A spokesperson stressed that Russia had breached U.N. Security Council resolutions by training North Korean forces, and held both nations accountable for perpetuating the war.

South Korea denounced the confirmation as an "admission of a criminal act," criticizing North Korea for sending its youth to die "inhumanely and immorally" to bolster the regime's survival.

"A Cost Paid in Blood"

Experts say the timing of Pyongyang’s revelation—after months of silence—is calculated to showcase Kim’s alliance with Putin as one of equals, particularly ahead of an anticipated summit in Russia.

"This was a deliberate diplomatic performance designed to reinforce the North Korea-Russia bond," said Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, calling it a "prelude" to deeper ties between the two leaders.

Ukrainian officials estimate that around 14,000 North Korean troops have been deployed, including 3,000 reinforcements after sustaining heavy losses. Though initially ill-equipped—lacking armored vehicles and modern drone warfare expertise—they reportedly adapted to battlefield conditions.

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported on April 24 that they had eliminated a group of 25 North Korean soldiers in Kursk, later releasing video evidence, including personal items bearing Korean writing.

Beyond troop deployment, South Korean officials say Pyongyang has also provided Russia with arms, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles.
Russia officially acknowledged on Saturday that North Korean soldiers were fighting alongside its forces in Kursk.