The role of North Korean forces in the Ukraine conflict has evolved significantly since their initial deployment to support Russia, according to the head of Ukraine’s parliamentary defense committee.
In a recent Business Insider interview, Yehor Cherniev, deputy chair of Ukraine’s National Security, Defense, and Intelligence Committee, highlighted that the primary concern with North Korean troops is not their manpower but their artillery support.
Chernievnoted that the North Korean contingent in the Kursk region was relatively small, suggesting that Pyongyang’s main objective was to gain modern combat experience rather than provide substantial aid to Moscow.
When North Korea first sent approximately 10,000 troops to Russia’s western Kursk region in 2024, these inexperienced soldiers were thrust into frontline assault roles.
At the time, the Pentagon characterized these tactics as inefficient and costly human wave attacks.
However, recent intelligence suggests a shift in the North Korean forces’ mission. According to a report from Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR), North Korean units are now engaged in technical support operations, mirroring Russian tactics by using reconnaissance drones to identify targets and improve artillery accuracy.
The GUR also reported that North Korea is implementing a rotation system for its Kursk-based troops. Notably, about 3,000 returning soldiers have been reassigned as military instructors, tasked with disseminating battlefield lessons to the broader North Korean armed forces.
In related news, the UK Ministry of Defence estimates that Russia has suffered approximately 1.2 million casualties since the war’s onset in February 2022, with a staggering 415,000 of these occurring in 2025 alone.