North Korean Soldiers Face Destruction Amid Russia's Costly War Tactics

Written by Asger Risom

Feb.10 - 2025 7:00 PM CET

War
Photo: UA_REG TEAM / Telegram
Photo: UA_REG TEAM / Telegram
Moscow's battlefield strategy claims more lives as North Korea's elite troops endure heavy losses.

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Russia's war in Ukraine has turned into a brutal war of attrition, claiming thousands of lives among both regular and allied forces.

Recently, elite North Korean units became the latest to suffer catastrophic losses in this grinding conflict.

As reported by Digi24, North Korean troops sent to support Russia have been decimated after being deployed in human-wave assaults in the Kursk region.

Composed of elite special operations soldiers, these units reportedly endured extreme casualties.

The Ukrainian army and South Korean intelligence confirmed that these troops have disappeared from the front line, likely due to their unsustainable losses.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service suggested that high casualties, estimated at around 4,000, prompted the withdrawal of the contingent.

The Institute for the Study of War projects that if these casualty rates continue, the entire North Korean force could be wiped out by April.

Russia’s "Disposable" Military Strategy

North Korean forces are the latest example of Russia's use of what experts have described as "disposable armies."

The Kremlin has sent poorly trained recruits, penal units like Storm-Z, and mercenary groups such as Wagner into high-risk operations.

These tactics, drawn from old Soviet doctrines, have led to immense losses on both sides.

Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies explained during a recent panel that Russia’s use of North Korean troops mirrors its approach with penal forces.

“This is the Russian way of war,” Jones stated, referencing the astonishing casualty numbers from Kursk and other fronts. These tactics rely on overwhelming enemy defenses through relentless assaults, regardless of human cost.

A Growing Alliance of Convenience

North Korea's involvement in the war underscores deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin have reportedly negotiated deals involving troop deployments, weapons supplies, and a potential defense pact.

North Korea has already provided Russia with artillery and ammunition, with speculation that Kim may receive satellite technology, fuel, and other resources in return.

However, it remains unclear if North Korea fully understood the risks its soldiers would face.

Analysts suggest that for Putin, using foreign troops serves the dual purpose of bolstering forces while avoiding politically sensitive domestic mobilizations.

South Korean intelligence suggests that Pyongyang may send more troops and equipment to Russia despite recent losses. Whether North Korean forces will return to the front lines remains uncertain.

War