More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing while fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to a new report from UK intelligence.

The British Ministry of Defence, in its 15 June intelligence update, states that around half of the estimated 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to the area have become casualties.

A costly campaign tied to Ukraine’s cross-border offensive

In August 2024, Ukraine launched a rare cross-border operation into Kursk, briefly capturing territory and forcing Russia to redeploy troops. While initially successful, the campaign was eventually reversed. By March 2025, Ukrainian forces had withdrawn, ending the offensive without holding ground. However, Kyiv claims the operation disrupted Russian logistics and diverted enemy forces from other fronts.

High casualty rates from brutal ground combat

“Significant D​PRK casualty rates have almost certainly been sustained primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report said, pointing to intense and costly infantry engagements on the ground.

UK intelligence analysts believe these tactics are leading to unsustainable losses for North Korean units involved in front-line fighting.

Shoigu holds talks with Kim Jong-un

On 4 June, Russia’s Security Council Secretary and former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea for the second time in three months. He met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, signaling deepening military coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Shoigu is believed to be the Kremlin’s lead negotiator managing North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.

North Korean involvement confined to Kursk—for now

As of mid-June, North Korea’s military activity remains limited to the Kursk direction. According to UK intelligence, any expansion beyond Russian borders—particularly into internationally recognized Ukrainian territory—would almost certainly require joint authorization from both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.

Casualty estimates reflect rising toll

In April, a South Korean lawmaker citing intelligence sources reported that about 600 North Koreans had died in the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in January, estimated that 4,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded.

Later, on 25 April, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that more than 4,500 North Korean troops had been neutralized since the launch of the Kursk offensive.

Russia’s mobilization reserve may include as many as 25 million people — those with military obligations or past service — from its total population of 145 million. However, only about 3 million of them are considered properly trained and combat-capable, according to the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the country has mobilized 1.3 million people, while sustaining nearly one million casualties in killed and wounded, said Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service chief Oleh Ivashchenko in an interview with Ukrinform.

“Russia has approximately 145 million inhabitants. The mobilization resource consists of 25 million people. These are those who have relevant military registration or related specialties. And these are the labor resources that drive the economy. But only 3 million are actually trained,” Ivashchenko said.

Ivashchenko also detailed significant constraints in Russia’s defense production capabilities.

“They are trying to reach maximum output, but it’s difficult for them. They need investments, machine tools, components, and there are problems with this. Electronics and specialized chemistry are particularly challenging,” Ivashchenko stated.

The Foreign Intelligence head also revealed that 80% of Russia’s current military equipment consists of older systems with reduced capabilities, retrieved from storage facilities, repaired, and deployed to combat zone, while only 20% represents modern military systems.

Regarding ammunition production, Russia manufactures approximately 3 million artillery shells of 122mm and 152mm caliber annually. The country supplements this domestic production with 2.5 to 3 million additional shells from North Korea each year.

Ivashchenko reported that Russia has acquired 6 million shells from North Korea since the full-scale war began. North Korea has also provided military hardware including 120 units of 170mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery systems and 120 units of M1991 240mm multiple rocket launcher systems.

Earlier, Dutch military intelligence warned that Russia is producing significantly more artillery than needed for its war in Ukraine, with support from other countries, and is moving new military units toward NATO borders, especially in the Baltic states and Finland. Dutch officials stressed that, while an immediate attack is not expected, Europe must prepare for the possibility of future Russian aggression.

Recently, US intelligence also indicated that Russian President Putin is prepared to continue the war against Ukraine through at least the end of 2025, viewing the conflict as central to his personal legacy and the future of his regime.

Despite significant losses and international sanctions, Putin is determined to achieve his objectives in Ukraine and shows no signs of willingness to negotiate a meaningful peace. The Kremlin is mobilizing resources and adapting its strategy to sustain military operations, while also intensifying efforts to undermine Western support for Ukraine through propaganda, cyberattacks, and political interference.