At least 18 North Korean soldiers abandoned their newly assigned positions alongside Russian forces near the Ukraine border, triggering immediate panic among commanders and a scramble to locate the deserters.
At a Glance
- Some 18 North Korean servicemen deserted their positions shortly after arriving on the frontline.
- Thousands of North Korean troops have reportedly been deployed to support Russian operations.
- Ukrainian media reported the desertions near the border in Kursk and Bryansk regions.
- Russian commanders are reportedly concealing the desertions from higher authorities.
- Ukrainian intelligence claims the deserters were part of the so‑called “Buryat Battalion.”
Deployment and Desertion
Russian and Ukrainian officials report that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia to bolster its offensive efforts near Ukraine’s border. Among these forces, a unit nicknamed the “Buryat Battalion,” tied to the elite 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade, reportedly included some of the deployed North Koreans. However, intelligence from Ukrainian outlets such as Suspilne revealed that roughly 18 soldiers deserted just hours—or days—after their arrival in the Kursk and Bryansk border zones.
Ukrainian intelligence further claims that Russian commanders are actively concealing the desertions from higher echelons to avoid diplomatic fallout and possible reprisal from Pyongyang. The deserters are said to have abandoned positions approximately seven kilometers from Ukraine’s border, raising questions about morale and loyalty within the newly formed unit.
Watch a report: North Korean Troops Thought Ukraine War Was an Exercise
Strategic and Political Fallout
The deployment of North Korean troops marks a significant escalation: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin acknowledged their presence in October, signaling a new international dimension to the Russia‑Ukraine war. By November, NATO and Ukrainian officials confirmed over 10,000 North Korean forces had entered western Russia, prompting global alarm and calls for action.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the move as a dangerous new escalation and pressed for stronger international sanctions, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that the involvement could destabilize both Euro‑Atlantic and Indo‑Pacific security. Despite Moscow’s denials of “fake news,” Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov later publicly thanked North Korean forces after the Kursk offensive concluded.
The desertions, though numerically small, hint at deeper issues—potentially exposing weaknesses in troop cohesion, ideological commitment, and operational effectiveness. They also raise the stakes, risking an international incident with North Korea over the loss and potential exposure of personnel.
Overall, the defection of 18 troops may reflect broader morale problems within the unit, testing the limits of cross-border military cooperation between authoritarian regimes and reshaping strategic calculations for both Russia and its allies.
