North Korea confirms troop deployment to Russia for first time, hails ‘heroes’

Ukrainian officials estimate North Korea has sent 14,000 troops to Russia, including 3,000 reinforcements to offset its losses

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Russia’s top security adviser Sergei Shoigu (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during Shoigu’s visit to North Korea on March 22. Photo: KCNA via Reuters

Published: 6:39am, 28 Apr 2025Updated: 2:24pm, 28 Apr 2025

North Korea confirmed for the first time on Monday that it had sent troops to fight for Russia in the war with Ukraine under the order of leader Kim Jong-un and made an important contribution to the liberation of Russian territory occupied by Ukraine.

The victorious end of the battle to liberate Russia’s Kursk region showed the “highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship” between North Korea and Russia, the KCNA state news agency cited the North’s ruling party as saying.

Russia said last week that Ukrainian forces had been expelled from the last Russian village they had been holding, although Kyiv denied the claim and said their troops were still operating in Belgorod, another Russian region bordering Ukraine.

North Korean soldiers march in a parade in Pyongyang in 2018. Photo: AP

The Central Military Commission of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party said leader Kim Jong-un made the decision to deploy troops under the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.

“Under the order of the head of state, the subunits of the armed forces of the republic regarded the territory of Russia as the one of their country and proved the firm alliance between the two countries,” Korean Central News Agency cited the commission as saying.

“They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honour of the motherland,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

North Korea “regards it as an honour to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation”, it said.

North Korea sent an estimated total of 14,000 troops, including 3,000 reinforcements to replace its losses, Ukrainian officials have said. Lacking armoured vehicles and drone warfare experience, they took heavy casualties but adapted quickly.