North Koreans at the front: how they help Russians in assaults
Kyiv • UNN
Captured Russians confirm the presence of DPRK troops at the front, living in joint bases and participating in combat operations. The Koreans are the first to launch an offensive, demonstrating better discipline and equipment than Russian troops.
The captured Russians confirm that the North Korean military is fighting alongside them, living on the same bases, training and participating in combat operations. They go on the offensive first, and if the attack is successful, the Russians follow to consolidate their positions.
This was stated by the senior officer of the communications department of the 80th separate air assault brigade, Sergeant Petro Haydashchuk, during a telethon, UNN reports .
Details
He noted that our military had to face the Koreans.
For example, our units have not been able to take North Korean soldiers prisoner, but our paratroopers say that they have encountered soldiers who speak what they believe to be Korean, not Russian. Similarly, the numerous bodies of killed soldiers also make one think and conclude that they must be Koreans. According to our paratroopers, this happens quite often. We also captured Russians who told us that the North Korean military lived with them, trained at the same bases, and participated in combat operations. In other words, the North Koreans' task is to conduct assault operations. They go first, and if they are successful, Russian troops come in to consolidate and take up the defense. But this is only if the North Koreans' actions are successful
He added that the Russians are very unhappy that, for example, the North Koreans are better equipped, better fed and given more time to train, unlike Russian contract soldiers.According to Gaydashchuk, the Koreans are fighting at the front.
If we take the first combat contacts with the Koreans, our units also note that the drones in the sky - our drones - were something unusual for them, they simply treated them neutrally, without any sense of danger or fear. In the beginning, they used the tactic of large waves of 40-50 people - just moving in the direction of our positions. From time to time we also see the use of small assault groups trying to attack us
He added that paratroopers from Ukrainian units note that, unlike Russians, Koreans are more disciplined. They do not panic under fire or when there are wounded in their assault group. They do not run away, but try to continue the assault, pull the wounded away and clearly communicate commands to each other on the battlefield, even despite the explosions and shooting around them. This is clearly heard and remembered by Ukrainian soldiers.
Situation in Kursk regionGaidashchuk said that the situation in the area of responsibility of the 80th separate air assault Galician brigade is such that active combat operations are conducted almost every day.
The enemy is trying to conduct assault operations to dislodge Ukrainian units from previously occupied positions. According to him, before and during the Kursk operation, it was clear that the enemy had a great advantage in manpower, artillery and armored vehicles. He uses all of this almost every day to push Ukrainian units out of their positions, but it is to no avail, as the Russians suffer heavy losses.
Haydashchuk also noted that as of the end of December 2024, the 80th Brigade managed to destroy more than 5,000 enemy personnel, including killed and wounded.
Recall
A report by the US Institute for the Study of War states that the entire 12,000-strong North Korean troop contingentcurrently stationed in the Kursk region could be killed or wounded in action by mid-April 2025.
