North Korea has lost at least 2,288 troops killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to a report by NK Pro, a publication specializing in news and analysis on the DPRK. The assessment is based on the number of names listed on memorial columns recently installed in Pyongyang.
The memorial columns bearing the names of the fallen are intended to remind the Russian authorities that they are indebted to North Korea, experts interviewed by NK Pro said.
According to NATO, in 2024 North Korea sent 11,000 troops to Russia, who took part in battles against the Armed Forces of Ukraine during their incursion into Russia's Kursk Region. About 1,500 of them were killed and 3,500 were wounded. In early 2025, Pyongyang sent another 3,500 soldiers to assist Moscow.
In April, a memorial complex and the Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations were opened in the North Korean capital. From the Russian side, the ceremony was attended by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. Volodin read out a message from Vladimir Putin, which said that North Korean soldiers had “shown exceptional courage” and that their assistance would “forever remain in the heart of every Russian citizen.”
