North Korean troops stationed in Russia's Kursk region have suffered "several hundred" casualties in clashes with Ukrainian troops, US officials said on Tuesday, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
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The casualties were among almost all ranks of the North Korean military, as the Ukrainians successfully hit enemy command and control centers, officials told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Officials did not provide specific figures for missing, dead and wounded, or whether some of the wounded could return to combat.
"While the Russians have gained significant ground in Kursk, Ukrainian forces are likely to be able to hold on for at least a few months", the officials said, adding "it will be a challenge to sustain that position over time".
Although about 12,000 North Korean soldiers are special operations forces, they had not yet been involved in combat before arriving in Russia, which may explain why they are suffering such losses, the officials added.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service is looking into reports of North Korean soldiers being killed, the Yonhap news agency reported.