The North Korean army contingent continues to participate in the Russian-Ukrainian war on the side of the aggressor. As of January 2026, DPRK troops were located in the Kursk region, from where attacks on border Ukrainian communities are carried out. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Details
Under the command of the Russians, North Koreans fire barrel artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, perform aerial reconnaissance and artillery reconnaissance tasks, and adjust MLRS strikes on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
A characteristic feature and one of the key goals of the DPRK army's participation in the Russian-Ukrainian war is its focus on mastering unmanned technologies and gaining experience in conducting modern warfare.
Within the framework of agreements between Moscow and Pyongyang, military personnel stationed in the Kursk region are regularly rotated. Since the beginning of the North Korean contingent's participation in the war against Ukraine, about three thousand soldiers have already returned to the DPRK - trained and experienced. Most of them become military instructors to transfer the acquired skills of 21st-century warfare to the entire DPRK army.
Recall
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un supervised the testing of a modernized MLRS capable of delivering selective strikes. During the tests, four missiles successfully hit a target in the sea at a distance of 358.5 km.