Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that North Korean troops deployed to Russia’s Kursk region have engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces, resulting in fatalities.
Zelensky revealed that 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in the area, where Ukraine’s three-month military push into Russian territory had been stalled.
“Currently, 11,000 North Korean soldiers are on Russian territory in the Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border,” Zelensky told reporters at the European Political Community summit in Budapest on Thursday. “Some of these troops have already participated in hostilities against Ukrainian forces, and there have been casualties on both sides.”
While he did not clarify which side suffered the losses, earlier reports by The New York Times cited US and Ukrainian officials saying that some North Korean troops had been killed during a limited skirmish between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
The deployment of North Korean forces comes amid growing concerns over the military partnership between Russia and North Korea, with the US and its allies considering how to respond to the escalation.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke publicly for the first time about the US election, expressing readiness to engage in talks with Republican president-elect Donald Trump. Putin remarked that Trump’s proposals on ending the war in Ukraine “deserve attention,” and he congratulated Trump on his victory, praising his “courageous” actions following a July assassination attempt.
Trump’s win comes at a crucial time in the war, as Ukraine faces intense pressure on the front lines. Ukrainian military officials have warned that Russian forces are launching one of their most powerful offensives since the war began.
In his remarks from Budapest, Zelensky expressed frustration that world leaders were not heeding his calls for long-range weapons to counter the escalating conflict, which now involves “the army of another state.”
Zelensky also warned that if international pressure on Russia does not increase, North Korean forces may play a more prominent role in the conflict. “If we don’t apply the right weapons and political pressure, the next step could see even greater involvement of North Korean troops,” he said.
