North Korean war tactics exposed by Ukrainian commander

 In the fall of 2024, North Korean troops began military operations in Kursk, marking their first engagement in a contemporary conflict. This development provides insight into the military capabilities of Kim Jong Un's government.

Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, recently discussed these forces with Newsweek. He highlighted their shortcomings in drone warfare but noted their agility and erratic movement to evade Ukrainian drone operators. 

According to Colonel Kindratenko, North Korean soldiers frequently attack along routes where many of their comrades have already fallen. Despite this, they exhibit greater mobility than Russian troops, often discarding issued equipment to move more freely. Some even forgo helmets and ballistic plates to enhance speed during assaults on Ukrainian positions.

Captured North Korean equipment has revealed a lack of food, water, and cold-weather gear. Instead, their backpacks are often filled with ammunition. Reports indicate that North Korean forces carry up to three times the amount of ammunition as their Russian counterparts, along with grenades and mines.

 However, it remains unclear whether they receive these supplies in greater overall quantities. Colonel Kindratenko also noted that fallen North Korean soldiers were "often better armed" than Russian troops, carrying a significant number of anti-tank grenade launchers and modernized variants of Russian weapons like the AK-12, rather than the older AK-74.

Assessing the battlefield effectiveness of North Korean troops remains challenging. While some Ukrainian commanders have acknowledged their resilience, others have described them as "cannon fodder." Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, previously characterized them as "highly motivated" and "well-trained," a sentiment echoed by the former Pentagon Press Secretary, Major General Pat Ryder, who described them as "well-disciplined, competent forces" primarily focused on infantry operations.

Other Ukrainian commanders have commented on the extreme determination of North Korean troops in combat. A commander known as Puls recounted to Sky News that these soldiers often refuse to be captured, sometimes taking their own lives while shouting, "For General Kim Jong Un." However, the extent of this behavior remains difficult to verify.

While the true impact of North Korean forces in Kursk remains uncertain, recent reports suggest they have been withdrawn from the frontlines. According to sources including The New York Times and South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, North Korean troops were pulled back due to the heavy losses they sustained, as reported by Politico.