More than 5,000 North Korean soldiers have likely been killed or wounded while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to a new assessment by the British Ministry of Defense.
The casualty figure accounts for as much as one-third to nearly half of North Korea's total deployment, highlighting the heavy losses its forces have sustained on the front lines.
"As of March 2025, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) forces had highly likely sustained over 5,000 casualties in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Russian oblast of Kursk," the ministry stated in an intelligence update posted on March 28 via social media platform X.
The ministry further estimated that "approximately a third of the casualties" were killed in action.
Heavy Losses on the Battlefield
South Korean military and intelligence officials believe North Korea initially sent around 11,000 troops to Russia last year and dispatched an additional 3,000 between January and February of this year.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed on March 27 that approximately 4,000 North Korean troops had become casualties, with the UK's latest estimate suggesting the actual number could be even higher.
The significant losses reflect the dangerous role North Korean troops are playing on the battlefield—leading high-risk, front-line assault operations.
Ukrainian Senior Sergeant Petro Haidashchuk told local media in January that North Korean forces are being used as assault troops, charging forward while Russian soldiers follow behind to secure captured areas. He cited Russian prisoners of war who described these tactics, which have left North Korean troops highly vulnerable to Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes. These methods have been widely referred to as "meat grinder" tactics.
South Korean lawmaker Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party, who recently visited Ukraine, described the North Korean troops as being used as cannon fodder.
"Ukrainian officials told me they can't understand why North Korean troops are attempting such aggressive breakthroughs despite the high number of casualties," Yoo said. "They asked, 'Why are they so desperate?'"
Putin Relies on North Korean Support
Despite these staggering losses, analysts suggest North Korea's high-risk operations in Ukraine are unlikely to stop. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no intention of making territorial concessions in ongoing ceasefire talks.
The Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces recently launched a surprise incursion into Russia's southwest, remains strategically important to the Kremlin. Regaining lost ground would strengthen Russia's negotiation position, making North Korean troops a valuable asset for Putin.
North Korea Expanding Role in Space Warfare
Even as North Korea suffers heavy losses on the ground, it is reportedly increasing its efforts in space warfare.
U.S. Secretary of the Air Force nominee Troy Meink told the Senate Armed Services Committee that North Korea has "already demonstrated the ability to jam satellite communications and GPS."
In written testimony submitted last Thursday, Meink warned that both North Korea and Iran are developing independent space programs. While they may not rival those of major powers, he noted that they could still "exploit the domain to their own ends" and potentially "employ counterspace technologies" against the United States.
