Ukraine says DPRK forces have withdrawn from Kursk, but Kyiv’s top spy disagrees



News Ukraine says DPRK forces have withdrawn from Kursk, but Kyiv’s top spy disagrees Experts tell NK News strategic regrouping, intelligence gaps and Trump’s return are factors behind conflicting reports Anton Sokolin February 7, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON North Korean soldiers during a nighttime military parade in Pyongyang \| Image: KCTV (Feb. 9, 2023), edited by NK News North Korean troops have reportedly withdrawn from Russia’s Kursk region, but Kyiv’s top spy insists DPRK soldiers are still fighting against Ukraine, with experts citing strategic regrouping, poor intelligence or “panic” over Donald Trump’s return as reasons for the conflicting messages. Reports about North Korean soldiers being withdrawn from combat first emerged last month, with Ukraine’s General Staff announcing as recently as Thursday that DPRK units had been pulled off the front line in Kursk after losing 4,000 soldiers. North Korean troops have reportedly withdrawn from Russia’s Kursk region, but Kyiv’s top spy insists DPRK soldiers are still fighting against Ukraine, with experts citing strategic regrouping, poor intelligence or “panic” over Donald Trump’s return as reasons for the conflicting messages. Reports about North Korean soldiers being withdrawn from combat first emerged last month, with Ukraine’s General Staff announcing as recently as Thursday that DPRK units had been pulled off the front line in Kursk after losing 4,000 soldiers. Try unlimited access Only $1 for four weeks Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

News

Ukraine says DPRK forces have withdrawn from Kursk, but Kyiv’s top spy disagrees

Experts tell NK News strategic regrouping, intelligence gaps and Trump’s return are factors behind conflicting reports

Anton Sokolin February 7, 2025

Ukraine says DPRK forces have withdrawn from Kursk, but Kyiv’s top spy disagrees

North Korean soldiers during a nighttime military parade in Pyongyang | Image: KCTV (Feb. 9, 2023), edited by NK News

North Korean troops have reportedly withdrawn from Russia’s Kursk region, but Kyiv’s top spy insists DPRK soldiers are still fighting against Ukraine, with experts citing strategic regrouping, poor intelligence or “panic” over Donald Trump’s return as reasons for the conflicting messages.

Reports about North Korean soldiers being withdrawn from combat first emerged last month, with Ukraine’s General Staff announcing as recently as Thursday that DPRK units had been pulled off the front line in Kursk after losing 4,000 soldiers.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting

Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.

Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.

Ukraine says DPRK forces have withdrawn from Kursk, but Kyiv’s top spy disagrees

Try unlimited accessOnly $1 for four weeks

Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most –

as selected by

One more step!

Trending

Recent Stories

About the Author

Anton Sokolin

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

Start your day with
the North Korea stories that matter most –