““Licking their wounds.” Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces explained the “sudden disappearance” of the soldiers of the North Korean army from the battlefield in Kurshchyna January 19, 17:19 Share: Soldiers of the 58th OMbr named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi during training on the training ground (Photo: Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine / Telegram) After several weeks continuous attacks by North Korean soldiers, whom North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un sent to Russia to participate in war against”, — write on: ua.news
Fighters of the 58th OMBr named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky during training on the training ground (Photo: Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine / Telegram)
After several weeks of continuous attacks, North Korean soldiers sent to Russia by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un to participate in the war against Ukraine have practically not appeared on the battlefield.
The Washington Post wrote about this on January 19, referring to the Ukrainian military fighting in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the interlocutors of the journalists point out, Russian troops continue to advance on Ukrainian positions in Kurshchyna.
The North Koreans’ “sudden disappearance” from the battlefield may be a sign that they are regrouping and evaluating future actions, the article noted. It can also be a consequence of numerous injuries and exhaustion after recent battles.
“They’re licking their wounds,” WP quoted a Ukrainian soldier named Vitaly who spent eight hours in a firefight with North Korean army soldiers in December.
According to Ukrainian fighters, when the North Koreans first appeared on the battlefield in the Kursk region, they moved in large groups and did not even try to hide from Ukrainian drones. As a result, many were killed in the first assaults.
However, those who took part in subsequent battles showed themselves to be combat-ready, strong and good shooters, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told journalists. North Koreans learn from their mistakes and adapt to war in modern conditions.
Losses of the North Korean army in the Kursk region — the main thing
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that the Russian military is trying to burn the faces of the dead North Korean soldiers who participated in battles against the Ukrainian troops in order to hide their losses.
On January 9, 2025, Zelensky reported that the losses of soldiers from North Korea already amount to 4,000 people.
On January 11, the head of the Ukrainian state said that the Defense Forces captured two wounded soldiers of the North Korean army in the Kursk region. They were taken to Kyiv, where they were interrogated by SBU investigators.