The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense Cyril Budanov made a statement confirming the presence of the North Korean military at the front in Ukraine. According to Budanov, about eight thousand military DPRK is still in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, although their activity has decreased in recent days due to significant losses. These troops are still fighting, despite reports in the media about their absence on the forefront.
Budanov commented on the situation in an interview with The War Zone, noting that although the activity of the North Koreans has decreased, it could be a temporary phenomenon. "We need to wait a while to see if there are real changes, whether it is just a decrease in activity for a few days," he said.
One of the reasons for the decrease in activity is the great losses among the North Korean military, which, according to Budanov, is associated with their lack of real combat experience. In addition, the attacks of the North Koreans were organized in the form of "meat waves" when the soldiers attacked with almost no equipment, which also led to high losses.
Budanov also noted that fighting with the participation of the DPRK in the Kursk region can have important consequences for understanding Russia's strategy and potential threats to Ukraine at the front.
