A Ukrainian commander revealed secrets about North Korean soldiers fighting on the frontline

The Daily Digest

 

A Ukrainian commander revealed secrets about North Korean soldiers fighting on the frontline

Story by thedailydigest.com

07/02/2025

 

우크라이나 사령관이 최전선에서 싸우는 북한 병사들에 대한 비밀을 폭로했습니다.

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Were they better than Russian soldiers?

North Korean soldiers have been fighting on the frontlines of Kursk in Russia for several months. It is the first time Kim Jong Un’s military forces have been seen in action in a modern war, and we’ve learned a lot about what they can do. 

 

그들은 러시아 군인들보다 나았는가?

북한군은 수개월째 러시아 쿠르스크 최전선에서 전투를 벌이고 있다. 김정은의 군대가 현대전에서 활약하는 모습을 본 것은 이번이 처음이며, 우리는 그들이 무엇을 할 수 있는지에 대해 많은 것을 배웠다.

 

Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko

Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, recently spoke with Newsweek about the North Korean soldiers sent to fight in Kursk and revealed how ineffective these troops are in some areas. 

 

No understanding of drone warfare

According to Colonel Kindratenko, North Korean soldiers fighting for Moscow have little understanding of drone warfare but he noted that they move quickly and erratically as a way to avoid being targeted by Ukrainian drone operators. 

 

Attacking along the same lines of assault©Provided by The Daily Digest

Colonel Kindratenko also pointed out that North Korean soldiers attack along the "same routes where dozens of their troops have already been killed in action.” However, North Korean forces are more mobile than their Russian counterparts. 

 

North Koreans toss their Russian gear©Provided by The Daily Digest

Some soldiers preferred to get rid of the equipment given to them by Russia in order to move more freely. "In some instances, they operate without helmets or ballistic plates to increase speed during assaults on Ukrainian positions," Colonel Kindratenko said. 

 

Some carried more ammunition than food©Provided by The Daily Digest

Ukrainian forces have captured North Korean equipment and found little food or water and no cold weather equipment. According to Colonel Kindratenko, ammunition is what Ukrainian soldiers find filling up North Korean military backpacks.   

 

North Koreans carry more ammo than Russian troops

The North Korean forces fighting in Kursk allegedly have three numbers of the ammunition that their Russian counterparts carry into battle. They are also supplied with grenades and mines. However, it is unclear if they are given these weapons in larger quantities. 

 

North Koreans are often better-armed

Colonel Kindratenko said that captured bodies of killed North Korean soldiers revealed that they are "often better armed" than Russian troops. He added that combat footage has shown they also carry a "significant number of anti-tank grenade launchers."

 

Modernized Russian-designed weapons

Another interesting point made by Colonel Kindratenko about modern North Korean troops is that they nearly all carry “modernized variants” of standard-issued Russian arms like the AK-12 as opposed to the decades-old AK-74. 

 

Effective frontline forces?

How effective all of these battlefield advantages have made North Korean troops is hard to say, but other Ukrainian commanders have revealed that the fighters Pyongyang sent to Kursk can be powerful opponents to face off against. 

 

Highly motivated and well-trained

Ukraine’s top general, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky has previously called the North Korean forces in Kursk "highly motivated” and “well-trained” according to a report from Business Insider. His assessment was in line with one from the Pentagon. 

 

“Primarily infantry-focused”

"These are relatively well-disciplined, competent forces," explained the former Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder during a January 13th briefing. Ryder added that the North Korean troops were “primarily infantry-focused” and “capable.”

 

Some were used as cannon fodder

According to Ukrainian Commander Konoval Ihor Ihorovych, commander of the reserve group of the 4th Company of the 33rd Assault Regiment, the North Korean soldiers he faced in battle were “cannon fodder.”

 

Charging just like attacks in WWII©Provided by The Daily Digest

"In combat, they would just charge forward from the tree line, like in a World War II movie," Ihorovych explained according to Business Insider. It was an assessment that the US news outlet noted fell in line with a similar assessment from the Biden administration. 

 

Fanatical soldiers©Provided by The Daily Digest

Other Ukrainian commanders have commented on the fanatical nature of North Korean troops in battle. For example, one commander who goes by the callsign Puls spoke with Sky News about his experiences and said they were willing to take their lives instead of allowing themselves to be captured.

 

"For General Kim Jong Un"

According to Puls, North Korean soldiers have refused to be taken alive and he claimed that some troops had been heard saying:"For General Kim Jong Un" before taking their own lives. Whether or not this behavior is widespread is difficult to be confirmed. 

 

Formidable opponents

While we may not be able to confirm‎ how effective North Korean forces are in Kursk, it is clear they can be a formidable opponent. However, if recent news is to be believed, the North Korean troops sent to fight for Russia have been pulled off the frontline. 

 

Pulled from the frontline?

Several reports, including reports from the New York Times and South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, indicate that North Korean forces have been withdrawn from the frontlines in Kursk because of the heavy losses they suffered according to Politico. 

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