Military commander Garmaev released a photo of soldiers from the DPRK who liberated the Kursk region.
Alexander Garmaev, a military commander from Buryatia, posted a photo of North Korean soldiers who participated in the liberation of the Kursk region. The picture appeared against the background of the official confirmation by the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, of the participation of North Korean soldiers in the conflict.
A photo of soldiers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) who took part in the liberation of the Kursk region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has appeared online. Alexander Garmaev, a military correspondent from Buryatia, posted a picture on his Telegram channel showing North Korean soldiers participating in the operation.
The caption to the photo reads: "The soldiers of North Korea who took part in the liberation of the Kursk region."
The photo shows six soldiers standing against the background of autumn trees. On their helmets, you can see St. George's ribbons, which serve as an identification mark.
North Koreans in the battle for Kursk
Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the servicemen on the liberation of the Kursk region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and expressed gratitude for their heroism. In an address published by the Kremlin's press service, the head of state noted that "the complete defeat of the enemy in the Kursk border area creates conditions for further successful actions by our troops in other important sectors of the front."
Putin called the invasion of the Kursk region by Ukrainian troops an "adventure," stressing that Kiev's operation ended in failure and led to serious losses, including among elite units. The President added that this will affect the entire front line and is likely to affect further military actions.
Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, reported to the head of state on the completion of the operation in the Kursk region. According to him, on April 26, Russian troops liberated the village of Gornal, which became the last settlement remaining under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to Gerasimov's estimates, the total losses of the Ukrainian side during the fighting in the Kursk direction amounted to more than 76 thousand people. In addition, Gerasimov confirmed the participation of North Korean military personnel in the fighting. This was the first official confirmation by the Russian leadership that North Korean forces were involved in the conflict. Gerasimov noted that the North Korean soldiers, acting "shoulder to shoulder" with the Russian troops, showed resilience and heroism.
"I would like to mention separately the participation in the liberation of the border areas of the Kursk region of the military personnel of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who, in accordance with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between our countries, provided significant assistance in defeating the entrenched group of the armed forces of Ukraine," Gerasimov reported to the President.
Currently, Russian troops control more than 90 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, including border areas. Security continues to be established in these zones, which, according to Gerasimov, is important for stabilizing the situation at the front.
The "Baptism of fire" of North Koreans
In December, military commanders reported that the DPRK special forces took part in the battles for the village of Plekhovo in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region. In two hours, North Korean fighters established control over the settlement, knocking out the Ukrainian troops. More than 300 Ukrainian soldiers were killed during the battle.
These actions were the first "baptism of fire" of the North Korean military in the conflict. The military, acting as an intelligence battalion, used light weapons. On December 11, the Ministry of Defense officially confirmed the liberation of two settlements - Darino and Plekhovo in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region.
However, in its summary, the defense ministry reported on the offensive actions of the troops of the North group, which ended with the capture of these settlements, without mentioning the North Korean military at the time.
Invasion of the Kursk region
On August 6, 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces invaded the Kursk region, seizing an area of about 1,268 square kilometers. This was a small part of the total area of the region, which is 29.9 thousand square kilometers. Within a few days, Ukrainian troops managed to capture 28 settlements.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has stated that the seizure of Russian territories has become an important element for negotiations with Western countries. At the beginning of 2025, he noted that Kursk had become a "strong trump card" in the diplomatic game.
The liberation of the Kursk region proceeded in stages. As noted by the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, the most intense stage of the offensive began on March 6. One of the decisive moments in the operation was a maneuverable action by Russian troops aimed at penetrating the rear of the Ukrainian forces in the area of the city of Sudzha. For this purpose, a unique tactic was used - passage through the Urengoy - Pomary -Uzhgorod gas pipeline. After the successful implementation of this maneuver, Russian troops liberated a number of settlements in the Sudzhansky district and other parts of the Kursk region.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region amounted to more than 76 thousand personnel, as well as significant losses in equipment: 412 tanks, 341 infantry fighting vehicles, 314 armored personnel carriers and other combat vehicles. In addition, Ukrainian troops lost 64 pieces of engineering equipment and more than 20 radar stations.
Gennady Svidrigailov
