North Korean troop losses in Russia’s war against Ukraine have surpassed 6,000, according to a UK Defence Intelligence report released on October 24. The analysis estimates that over half of the roughly 11,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia have been killed or wounded during offensive operations in Russia’s Kursk region. The report says North Korean personnel are assisting Russian forces with reconnaissance and strike coordination against Ukraine, including drone operators supporting Russian rocket artillery attacks on Ukrainian positions in Sumy region. Analysts assess that Pyongyang is using the conflict to enhance its combat capabilities and drone warfare experience.
Pyongyang’s involvement deepens
In April 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un confirmed the deployment of troops to Russia under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Mutual Defense Treaties between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korea has since acknowledged its involvement in combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region. The European Commission condemned this cooperation as a sign of Moscow’s desperation amid Western sanctions that have weakened Russia’s war economy and international standing.
Arms transfers and economic benefits
According to the South Korean Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), North Korea’s participation in Russia’s war has brought its economy over $20 billion. A joint investigation by Reuters and the UK-based Open Source Centre (OSC) found that Pyongyang supplied at least four million artillery shells to Russia over the past 20 months. The deliveries—via sea and rail—have significantly boosted Russian firepower in Ukraine. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe North Korea is using the conflict as a proving ground for its own military capabilities and weapons systems.
Calls for stronger sanctions
Western governments are being urged to tighten sanctions on North Korea over its military cooperation with Moscow. Stronger restrictions could impede Pyongyang’s ability to finance its weapons programs, reduce illicit arms trade, and raise the political cost for Kim Jong Un’s regime for aiding an aggressor state. South Korea has already imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and 15 entities linked to the partnership, including senior Korean People’s Army officers and firms supporting the regime’s nuclear and missile programs.
Growing authoritarian alignment
The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin (August 31–September 1, 2025) and China’s military parade marking the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end showcased growing coordination among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—an informal bloc dubbed CRINK. China backs Russia through diplomatic and economic channels, while North Korea reportedly sent about 13,000 troops and continues to supply ammunition, equipment, and missiles. Analysts see this tightening axis as a challenge to global security and the non-proliferation regime.
A systemic threat to global order
The emerging CRINK alignment poses a serious challenge to democratic nations. Three of the four members—China, Russia, and North Korea—possess nuclear weapons, while Iran is advancing its nuclear ambitions with their support. The bloc leverages disinformation, cyberattacks, and economic coercion to undermine international stability. Experts warn that this authoritarian partnership represents a structural threat requiring a unified and strategic response from the democratic world.
