This article was originally published in English
North Korean units fighting for Russia suffered losses of at least 30 soldiers killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region over the weekend, Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence service said Monday.
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North Korean units fighting for Moscow suffered losses ofat least 30 soldiers killed or injured in Russia’s Kursk region over the weekendthe Main Directorate of Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR) said on Monday.
This is the first time that Kyiv has reported North Korean losses of this magnitude.
“Due to losses, the assault groups are replenished with new troops, in particular from the 94th separate brigade of the DPRK army, in order to continue combat operations in the Kursk region”the Ukrainian intelligence agency said in a statement, without providing proof.
Following last weekend’s massive assaults, Ukrainian forces also released images and videos of Russian and North Korean soldiers killed in the Kursk region.
Euronews was unable to independently verify these claims.
A “significant” North Korean force
HUR reported these losses following the statement by President Volodymyr Zelensky that a “important name” North Korean soldiers began fighting alongside Russian forces during assault operations at Kursk.
“The Russians integrate them into combined units and use them in operations in the Kursk region”he said.
North Korean troops have not yet joined Russian forces in other areas of the frontbut Volodymyr Zelensky believes that it may only be a matter of time.
THE first clashes between North Korean and Ukrainian troops in Kursk, Russia, were reported in early November.
On December 1, Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that North Korean soldiers had already been killed fighting for Russia, without giving precise figures.
Ukrainian and Western officials believe that more than 10,000 North Korean troops were assembled in Kurskwith the aim of helping Russian forces expel Ukrainian forces from the territory.
North Korean troops open fire on Russian unit, HUR reports
HUR also reported Saturday that North Korean forces operating in Kursk had fired on vehicles of the Chechen Spetsnaz battalion “Akhmat” and killed eight Chechensan incident probably due to the language barrier between the two units.
The HUR notes that the lack of ability to communicate effectively hampers combat coordination between the two troops.
The Main Directorate of Military Intelligence of Ukraine further states that the Russian military has implemented special protection protocols in places where North Korean personnel are located.
Under these protocols, Russian soldiers must undergo inspections before entering these areas, and their phones and electronic devices are confiscated.
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