Kim Jong-un Acknowledges North Korean Troop Losses in Ukraine

As of August 22nd, 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has publicly acknowledged the heavy toll his country's troops have faced while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. In a ceremony honoring the "heroic" soldiers, Kim appeared tearful as he hugged the children of the fallen troops.

This marks the first time Kim has openly addressed the losses suffered by the thousands of North Korean soldiers he deployed to the Kursk region in Russia to support President Vladimir Putin's invasion. Earlier this year, South Korea's intelligence agency reported that of the 15,000 North Korean troops sent to fight, around 4,700 had been killed or wounded.

While Kim's latest acknowledgment suggests the scale of the casualties is greater than previously disclosed, it still represents only a fraction of the estimated 600 North Korean soldiers killed in the Kursk battles. The fighting in the region remains ongoing, with Ukraine's forces continuing to engage Russian troops, including a recent drone strike on a major oil refinery that supplies Putin's forces.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, the involvement of North Korean troops has become a point of contention, with Kim now hinting that their "overseas military operations" may be nearing a "victorious conclusion." However, it remains unclear if any additional North Korean soldiers will be sent to reinforce Russia in the coming months.