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South Korean National Intelligence Service

South Korean National Intelligence Service

Intelligence Agency

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North Korea deploys troops to fight Russia's war in Ukraine

Force in Play

Primary source for North Korean casualty estimates

North Korea has not sent combat troops abroad since the Korean War ended in 1953. That changed in October 2024, when approximately 12,000 to 15,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia's Kursk region to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. By February 2026, an estimated 6,000 of those troops have been killed or wounded—making this North Korea's third deadliest military conflict.

Updated Feb 16