“Time travelers” on the front line: The grim toll of North Korea’s deployment in Kursk

In an after hours speech on the night of May 10-11 best remembered for Russia’s proposal to restart talks with Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, Putin again praised the “courage, heroism, and professionalism” of the North Korean soldiers. Streets and squares in the “liberated” areas of Kursk are now expected to be named after them, with plans to erect monuments in their honor.

How the North Koreans fought the AFU

At first, the North Korean troops seemed completely unprepared for modern warfare. But over time, they started to adapt.

Russian officials and pro-Kremlin military bloggers described their involvement as part of a “counterterrorist operation” that began in the Kursk Region after Ukrainian forces seized large swathes of territory there in early August 2024. The North Korean troops were said to be from the Korean People’s Army’s special forces — though in North Korea, “special forces” often just means light infantry with good physical and weapons training.

Russian “war correspondent” Alexander Kots noted that the North Korean soldiers were “noticeably younger than your average Russian serviceman.” Propagandist Marina Kim claimed they were mostly between 23 and 27 years old — in contrast to many Russian volunteers, who are largely over 45.

Reports of their first real combat — and their first casualties — came in November 2024 and were limited to the Kursk front. Though by then, North Korea’s flag had already been spotted on mine dumps in Russian-occupied areas of Donbas, likely as a psychological tactic.