Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has praised the role of North Korean troops in supporting the liberation of Russia’s Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces. Gerasimov highlighted the “resilience and heroism” shown by the DPRK servicemen during the operation, which Moscow has hailed as a major success in its ongoing conflict with Kyiv.
In a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, Gerasimov emphasized that North Korean troops fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Russian forces, displaying remarkable determination. Putin later announced that the Russian troops had completely liberated the Kursk Region from Ukrainian control.
According to Gerasimov, the Ukrainian military suffered over 76,000 casualties—both killed and wounded—during their offensive, which began in August of the previous year. He stated that Russian troops are continuing to sweep the liberated areas to locate any remaining Ukrainian fighters. Additionally, Moscow’s forces are establishing a security zone in neighboring Ukraine’s Sumy Region, where they now control four settlements and more than 90 square kilometers of territory. In the Kursk Region itself, 19 settlements have already been cleared of mines.
Putin expressed his appreciation to the Russian troops who “defeated the neo-Nazi groups” that invaded the region last summer. Gerasimov explained that the participation of North Korean forces was made possible by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, which came into force in December. The treaty stipulates mutual military assistance in the event of an attack, referencing Article 51 of the UN Charter, and obliges both countries to support each other “by all means available.”
This revelation comes after earlier claims by the United States and other Ukrainian allies suggesting that North Korea had sent around 12,000 troops to Russia for training and potential deployment. At the time, both Moscow and Pyongyang chose not to confirm or deny these reports. Putin later stated that it was the sovereign decision of Russia and North Korea to determine how to implement their treaty obligations.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed Russia of using a North Korean-made ballistic missile in a deadly overnight strike on Kyiv. In a statement released on April 24, Zelensky said preliminary information indicated that a KN-23 ballistic missile—developed by North Korea—was used in the attack, which killed at least 12 civilians and injured 90 others. The KN-23, capable of carrying a one-tonne warhead, is considered more powerful than Russia’s own Iskander missile. Ukrainian special services are currently working to verify the details.
Reacting to Gerasimov’s comments on North Korean involvement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Telegram that Russia “will never forget our friends.”
