Among the DPRK soldiers in the Russian army, there are “big losses”, some committed suicide – the White House

Russia’s offensive in the Kursk region is leading to “huge losses” for North Korean forces, said John Kirby, the coordinator of strategic communications of the National Security Council at the White House, who was quoted by journalist Kelly Meyer on the social network Kh.

Kirby said that, “according to the data available to the United States, North Korean troops are attacking Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, which is leading to heavy losses.”

“It is clear that the military leaders of Russia and North Korea treat these soldiers as expendable material,” he said.

At the same time, the strategic communications coordinator of the US National Security Council noted that “North Korea has lost 1,000 soldiers in the last week alone.”

“We have reports that NK soldiers committed suicide… Instead of surrendering to Ukraine,” Kirby added.

According to South Korean intelligence, at least 100 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia were killed and another 1,000 were injured during battles with Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region.

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said on December 19 that “several hundred North Korean forces have suffered casualties or several hundred casualties ranging from killed in action to wounded.”

Yonhap Agency, citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported on December 23 that North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional units and military equipment to Russia in support of Moscow’s war against Ukraine.