Budanov disputes that the DPRK soldiers withdrew from the front line in Kursk region

About 8,000 soldiers from the DPRK are still fighting on the front line in Kursk, but in reduced numbers. Media reports that these troops have not been seen on the front line for several weeks are “incorrect.” This was reported by the head of the Main Directorate of Military Intelligence (GUR) Kirill Budanov in comments to The War Zone, reports UNN.

North Korean troops are still fighting on the front lines in Kursk, although their activity has decreased in recent days amid heavy casualties, the head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Directorate told The War Zone exclusively on Friday.

Lt. Gen. Kirill Budanov said media reports that these troops had not been seen on the front lines for weeks were “incorrect.” According to Budanov, about 8,000 North Koreans are still fighting on the front line in Kursk . However, their capabilities have recently been reduced, and Ukrainian officials are trying to determine what the change means.  

We need to wait a while to see if there's any real change or if it's just a decrease in activity for a couple days

Budanov admitted to War Zone that his comments contradicted reports by The New York Times and other media outlets about the current status of North Korean troops in Kursk.

“The media reports are incorrect,” Budanov said.

Context

The Times reported Friday that “North Korean soldiers who joined their Russian allies in the battle against Ukrainian forces were withdrawn from the front lines after suffering heavy casualties, according to Ukrainian and U.S. officials.

The presence of DPRK troops was not observed for about three weeks and they were probably forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses

  Andriy Kovalenko, head of the SNBO's CPD, reported on January 28 that the North Korean military in Kurshchyna had not learned how to counter Ukrainian drones and artillery, suffered significant losses, and are now “working with Russian commanders and their own officers to work on their mistakes.” However, they plan to continue to be actively engaged.

On February 4, Yonhap News, citing South Korea's intelligence agency, reported that North Korean troops that have been deployed to support Russian Federation in Kurshchina appear to have been not engaged in combat since mid-January.  

Andrei Kovalenko, the head of the CNSD's CPD, reported on February 4 that there is still no final understanding whether military personnel from North  Korea will return to participate in assault  actions in the Kursk region of rf.  He claimed that  they have not been taking part in the assaults for several weeks.

 On January 31, units of missile troops and artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces inflicted a fire defeat on the command post of the “Kursk” grouping of the Russian Armed Forces in the town of Rylsk, Kursk region.

President Vladimir Zelensky subsequently reported that the defeat of the rf central command center in the Kursk region casualties could amount to dozens of officers.