A Ukrainian news outlet reported that Ukrainian forces thwarted a Russian operation aimed at rescuing North Korean troops stranded in Russia’s Kursk region. The report also indicated that some of the isolated North Korean soldiers, under mounting pressure, could surrender in large numbers.
On Feb. 26, Ukraine-based Euromaidan Press published a frontline report stating that Ukrainian forces had detected and neutralized Russian troops attempting a nighttime infiltration the previous day using thermal imaging cameras. According to the report, Russian forces launched a two-pronged assault from the north and south near Viktorivka in an effort to extract North Korean troops trapped in Nikol’s’ke. However, the operation failed as Ukrainian forces leveraged advanced surveillance systems and precision strikes to repel the joint Russian-North Korean maneuver.
Initially, Russian forces attempted to deliver supplies to the besieged North Korean contingent but, after failing to break through, shifted to an extraction mission instead. The plan involved infantry units launching a surprise incursion from the south under the cover of darkness, engaging in close-quarters combat, while mechanized units in the north provided fire support.
To execute the operation, Russian troops attempted to infiltrate a wooded area from the south while armored units advanced along the northern forest’s edge for cover. The strategy aimed to divert Ukrainian attention with the southern infiltration before launching a coordinated assault.
However, Ukrainian forces detected their every move using thermal imaging and drones. Once Russian troops reached an exposed position, Ukrainian artillery, guided by drone surveillance, struck with cluster munitions. After the southern push was repelled, Russian forces pressed forward with their northern assault but were met with counterattacks from Ukrainian drones armed with anti-tank weapons.
The report highlighted that Russia, grappling with manpower shortages, had deployed North Korean troops to the battlefield, but language barriers severely undermined their effectiveness. Battlefield footage showed Russian and North Korean soldiers clustered together—an apparent necessity due to communication difficulties—which left them vulnerable to Ukrainian artillery strikes. The outlet cited a Ukrainian military source who described the artillery barrage as “devastating,” noting that Russia’s infiltration attempt was dismantled within seconds.
As the extraction mission collapsed, some North Korean troops attempted to flee independently. Ukrainian drones continued tracking them, capturing footage of visibly exhausted soldiers moving sluggishly, with many staggering as they tried to escape. The report suggested that the deteriorating conditions signaled an impending mass surrender by North Korean troops—the first such instance in the conflict.
Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops underscores the severity of its manpower shortages, according to the report. It also noted that the reliance on forces with severe language barriers had further hindered Moscow’s battlefield capabilities.
