N. Korean troops absent from combat in Russia’s Kursk since mid-January, Seoul claims
North Korean troops deployed to support Russia's war against Ukraine appear to have been absent from combat in the front-line Kursk region since mid-January, the South Korean spy agency said Tuesday.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) disclosed the intelligence, confirming a recent report from The New York Times that North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian troops in battle against Ukraine have been pulled from the front lines in mid-January due to heavy casualties, citing Ukrainian and U.S. officials, News.Az reports, citing Yonhap.
"Since mid-January, there have been no signs showing North Korean troops deployed to the Russian Kursk region engaging in battle," the NIS said.
The spy agency echoed the news report, saying that heavy casualties appear to be one reason for the absence of North Korean troops, adding that efforts are under way to determine the exact reason.
North Korea is estimated to have sent some 11,000 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Of those, 300 are believed to have been killed, with some 2,700 others wounded, South Korea's spy agency has told lawmakers.
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