Summary

North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region have been withdrawn from the front lines after suffering heavy losses, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials.

Estimates suggest 4,000 of the 11,000 deployed soldiers have been killed, wounded, or gone missing.

Despite being elite forces, they were used as foot soldiers, making them vulnerable.

Russia expects reinforcements from North Korea within two months.

Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with weapons, reportedly in exchange for military and diplomatic support from Moscow.

    • Plebcouncilman
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      1 month ago

      Well it is a little bit sad, they are still human beings. They have no control over where they were born and they are in a system that effectively makes it impossible for them to rebel while at the same time making it impossible for any one else to free them. It’s all around sad.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Yeah, and plenty of conscripted soldiers in the German army didn’t want to be conscripted and weren’t Nazis.

        I’m sorry that happened to them but I’m sure as fuck not sorry that they were amongst the defeated anyway. Because defeating the Nazis is the important part.

        • Plebcouncilman
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          1 month ago

          Yes, I’d just hate that people kind of forget that any war is inherently a human tragedy often not perpetuated by those fighting it.

  • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    They were never on the front lines because of any kind of advantage they might provide, Putin used them as bullet sponges to drain Ukrainian ammo.

  • atzanteol
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    1 month ago

    We laugh, but North Korea is getting itself combat experienced soldiers.

    • deegeese@sopuli.xyz
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      1 month ago

      What evidence do you have that they’re rotating experienced troops back to NK?

      Everything I’ve seen suggests most are KIA.

      • atzanteol
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        30 days ago

        Neither you nor I have any idea what the accurate casualty rates and combat stats for NK are. But any army that heads to war comes back with some experience in waging war.

          • atzanteol
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            30 days ago

            What a pointless question. They haven’t even been in the war long enough that a tour of duty would end so I wouldn’t expect them to be returning yet. But that doesn’t mean nobody will ever return.

    • Glitterbomb@lemmy.world
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      30 days ago

      The only thing they’re getting is PTSD and shrapnel.

      Unless you consider shooting at russian troops combat experience, then they’re getting a lot.