Kim Jong Un’s North Korea fighting for Russia in Kursk? Top Russian general hails their ‘professionalism’

For the first time since striking a deal with Kim Jong Un in 2024, Moscow has confirmed that North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region. In August 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region, capturing a stretch of territory.

A top Russian general confirmed that North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk, praising their “heroism and professionalism” in helping to push out Ukrainian forces.

Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia’s General Staff, praised North Korean officers and soldiers for their role in Kursk, saying they demonstrated “high professionalism, fortitude, courage, and heroism” while carrying out combat missions “shoulder to shoulder” with Russian troops, Reuters reported.

According to reports, North Korea sent an estimated total of 14,000 troops to fight in the Kursk region. While Russia never confirmed or denied North Korean presence in Kursk, Ukraine has often claimed that Kim Jong Un’s military was supplying artillery shells, rocket systems, thousands of troops and ballistic missiles to Russia.

Russia says reclaimed Kursk region, Kyiv denies

Meanwhile, Valery Gerasimov has also claimed that Russia has reclaimed the Kursk region – a claim denied by Kyiv.

Congratulating the Russian military for taking Kursk back from surprise Ukrainian incursion on 1,300 square kilometers, Vladimir Putin said, “The complete defeat of our enemy along Kursk’s border region creates the right conditions for further successes for our troops and in other important areas of the front.”

To this, Ukraine has said, “The statements of representatives of the high command of the aggressor country about the alleged end of hostilities in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation are not true.”

“The defensive operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in certain areas in the Kursk region continues. The operational situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold designated positions and carry out assigned tasks, while inflicting effective fire damage on the enemy with all types of weapons, including using active defense tactics,” Ukraine said.