Budanov denies DPRK troops' retreat from front line

18:03, 04.02.2025 1 min read

Eight thousand DPRK troops are still fighting on the front line in Russia's Kursk region, but in reduced numbers, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov has said.

He told The War Zone military publication on Friday, January 31, that North Korean troops are still fighting on the front line in the Kursk region, although their activity has decreased in recent days due to significant losses.

According to Budanov, media reports that troops from the DPRK had not been seen on the front line there for weeks were erroneous.

"We need to wait for some time to see if there are real changes, or if this is just a decrease in activity for a few days," he explained.

Earlier, several media outlets, notably The New York Times, wrote that North Korean soldiers who joined their Russian allies against Ukrainian forces had been withdrawn from the front line after suffering heavy losses.