Ukrainian intelligence reveals that North Korean soldiers sent to assist Russia since 2024 remain stationed in the Kursk region, using heavy weapons to attack Ukrainian forces and rotating troops under a Moscow–Pyongyang agreement.
On 6 Feb 2026 GMT+7, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Ukraine's Kyiv Independent, that North Korean military forces sent to support Russia in the war against Ukraine since 2024 continue to launch attacks against the Ukrainian army along the border area.
A Ukrainian report citing military intelligence states that as of January, North Korean troops remain stationed in Russia's Kursk region and have participated in launching attacks on Ukraine's border provinces. They use heavy artillery including cannons and multiple rocket launcher systems to strike Ukrainian forces, while also conducting aerial reconnaissance and artillery patrols at the frontline.
The report notes that while exact troop numbers are undisclosed, Ukrainian intelligence indicates ongoing rotation of North Korean forces stationed in Kursk under a bilateral agreement between Russia and North Korea. About 3,000 North Korean soldiers who have completed training and combat operations have been sent back home, mostly to share battlefield experience with the North Korean military.
North Korea has sent more than 11,000 troops to support Russia's military operations since October 2024, following the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang in June of the same year.
Source: Yonhap