North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia’s Kursk region to clear mines, Kim Jong Un said in a speech aired on Saturday by state media, a rare admission by Pyongyang.
North Korea has dispatched thousands of its soldiers to bolster Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine—now in its fourth year—marking Pyongyang’s first major foreign military intervention since the Korean War, according to assessments from South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western intelligence agencies.
In exchange, Moscow is reportedly providing vital financial support, advanced military technology, food aid, and energy resources, enabling the isolated regime to evade uncompromising global sanctions targeting its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
In a speech broadcast by state media, Kim Jong Un hailed the homecoming of the Korean People’s Army’s 528th Engineer Regiment, which spent 120 days conducting combat and mine-clearing operations in Russia’s Kursk region; the unit’s members, he noted, penned heartfelt letters to their hometowns and villages during brief respites from the grueling work, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The regiment suffered the “heartrending loss of nine lives” during the 120-day deployment that started in August, Kim said in a speech at a welcome ceremony on Friday, KCNA reported.
He awarded the deceased soldiers state honours to “add eternal lustre” to their bravery.
“All of you, both officers and soldiers, displayed mass heroism overcoming unimaginable mental and physical burdens almost every day,” Kim said.
The troops had been able to “work a miracle of turning a vast area of danger zone into a safe and secure one in a matter of less than three months”.
Images released by KCNA showed a smiling Kim embracing returned soldiers, some in wheelchairs, at the grand ceremony in Pyongyang on Friday.
Brothers In Arms
Not just soldiers, North Korea also emerged as a key logistical pillar, supplying a substantial amount of artillery ammunition to Russia.
A report titled “Brothers in Arms” by the UK-based Open Source Centre (OSC) earlier revealed a staggering surge in North Korean military support, supplying nearly 50% of Russia’s artillery ammunition used against Ukraine.
According to OSC’s analysts, from August 2023 to March 2025, North Korea shipped at least 15,809 containers to Russia, translating into an estimated 4.2 to 5.8 million rounds of artillery ammunition.
The cargo includes 122mm and 152mm shells and rockets, enabling Russian forces to sustain the kind of relentless artillery fire that has defined their battlefield tactics.
According to Reuters and Ukrainian intelligence, as of early 2024, North Korean ammunition comprised about 50% of all Russian artillery shells fired.
But Pyongyang’s aid doesn’t stop at ammunition. According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea has also supplied 148 ballistic missiles (KN-23 and KN-24), 120 long-range self-propelled artillery systems, and 120 multiple rocket launch systems.
These shipments—primarily ferried by Russian cargo ships Angara, Lady R, Maria, and Maia-1—move from the North Korean port of Rason to Dunay and Vostochny in Russia’s Far East, before being transferred by rail network to frontline depots. Using satellite imagery and 3D modeling, OSC confirmed that these shipments largely consist of artillery shells and mortar rounds.
OSC analysts note that this pipeline has greatly relieved pressure on Russia’s struggling defense industry, allowing Moscow to maintain a high tempo of combat operations that would otherwise be unsustainable.
To meet Russian demand, North Korea’s weapons industry has reportedly shifted into “wartime-equivalent posture,” with key factories operating 24/7. This production surge not only boosts Pyongyang’s economy but also solidifies its status as a critical player in shaping the battlefield far beyond its borders.
This relationship is transactional, too. According to TIME Magazine, North Korean satellite launches and ballistic missile developments have shown marked improvement since this partnership deepened—further evidence of a high-tech quid pro quo.
By ET Online Desk and AFP
