The war in Ukraine has taken yet another grim turn, with reports of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces now being transported to Moscow hospitals by the trainload.
A phone conversation intercepted by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) sheds light on the dire situation, revealing hundreds of wounded soldiers arriving in Russia from the battlefield.
The call, made public on December 18, features a Moscow nurse speaking to her husband, a soldier stationed in the Kursk region.
She explains how injured North Korean fighters are being brought in large numbers, according to Digi24.
“Yesterday, a train with about 100 people arrived. Today, it’s 120 — that’s already around 200,” she said. “How many more are there? Only God knows,” she added.
Clearing Entire Wards
The nurse also noted that hospital staff are struggling to communicate with the injured North Koreans.
English, often a fallback language for international patients, is not allowed for communication with these troops.
"Are they elite? Why are these Koreans so important? We’re clearing entire wards for them," she remarked during the call.
While the authenticity of the intercepted conversation has not been independently verified, the claims align with recent assessments from Western officials.
On December 17, a senior U.S. military official told the Associated Press that hundreds of North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured while fighting in Kursk.
According to the official, their lack of combat experience contributes significantly to the high casualty rate.
Russia is believed to have deployed over 10,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region since August, aiming to bolster its offensive against Ukrainian forces.
Despite the reinforcements, Russian gains have come at a steep cost. Ukrainian forces continue to mount fierce resistance, inflicting significant casualties on their opponents.
