The U.S. accused Russia of deploying North Korean troops in Ukraine, forcing them into massed, often suicidal, assaults against Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region. According to U.S. officials, many North Korean soldiers have taken their own lives rather than face capture, fearing reprisals against their families back home.
Estimates suggest around 11,000 North Korean troops are involved, with over 1,000 deaths reported in the past week alone. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed severe casualties among these forces, noting they are sent into battle with minimal protection and under extreme coercion.
Neither Russia nor North Korea has officially acknowledged the deployment, but the grim tactics highlight the desperate measures being used to sustain Russia’s grinding offensive.
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