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North Koreans in Kursk Fight Like They Fought in the Korean War

Photo: Korean Central News Agency
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North Korean units are conducting massive infantry assaults in the Kursk region. According to a Ukrainian battalion commander, they fight in a manner reminiscent of their tactics during the Korean War.

Oleg Shiryaev, the commander of Ukraine's 225th Independent Assault Battalion and Hero of Ukraine, says that North Korean soldiers are considerable opponents for Ukrainian forces. "We take their combat capabilities very seriously in battles," he said. "We defeat them, but we must acknowledge that their sheer numbers in these attacks cause us losses as well."

Before Russia's full-scale invasion, Shiryaev served as the commander of the Kharkiv police battalion. In 2022, he faced the enemy as a company commander defending his hometown. Quickly rising to the rank of battalion commander, Shiryaev later fought primarily in the Donetsk region, defending Bakhmut and Avdiivka. He was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine during the Ukrainian army’s offensive into Russia’s Kursk region.

Regarding North Korea’s massive attack tactics, Shiryaev noted that they conduct assault operations even with battalion-sized units, involving hundreds of soldiers at once. "They fight by the book," the commander explained. "Massive main offensives on both flanks and straight ahead, and they don’t always use armored vehicles for this." Their military playbook is clearly from the post-World War II era. "Their combat experience comes from the Korean War," Shiryaev added. The Korean War took place between 1950 and 1953.

Commander of the Ukrainian Army's 225th Independent Assault Battalion, Hero of Ukraine, Oleg Shiryaev
Commander of the Ukrainian Army's 225th Independent Assault Battalion, Hero of Ukraine, Oleg Shiryaev Photo: Juri Larin

For Ukrainians, such mass attacks are unusual in the drone warfare era, but Shiryaev said they can be countered by taking early positions, using proper camouflage, and, most importantly, thoroughly mining the frontline.

"Such attacks require the maximum use of both minefields and non-explosive barriers," said the commander of the assault battalion. "And, of course, it is crucial to position your forces quite densely. This is not at all the kind of work we are used to doing in modern warfare." He was referring to how both Russian and Ukrainian armies have been attacking in small groups over the past few years to minimize losses caused by constant artillery fire and drone strikes.

A photograph obtained from an Ukrainian Telegram account of shows North Korean detained soldier at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, following his capture by the Ukrainian army.
A photograph obtained from an Ukrainian Telegram account of shows North Korean detained soldier at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, following his capture by the Ukrainian army. Photo: HANDOUT/AFP

Commander Shiryaev also highlighted that North Koreans are motivated and fight with ruthlessness, he specifically referred to their harshness toward themselves and their comrades.

"If their squad or group falls into our ambush and they have wounded soldiers, their first priority is to continue completing their combat mission, and only afterward do they provide aid to the wounded," Shiryaev explained. "This is a very significant factor—they are completely ideologically indoctrinated. For them, dying while completing a mission, for their leader, is about as honorable as it is for a mujahid to die in jihad."

So far, Shiryaev's battalion has not managed to capture a single North Korean soldier. They simply do not surrender alive.

According to Shiryaev, the Ukrainian army has currently organized a rather dense defense in the Kursk region, which Russian units are finding difficult to breach. In his opinion, North Koreans have been brought in to assist with these mass attacks to break through this defense.

A Ukrainian military vehicle driving past a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region.
A Ukrainian military vehicle driving past a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region. Photo: ROMAN PILIPEY

Ukrainian Defense Holds Around Sudzha

Ukrainian forces have established a strong defensive line around the town of Sudzha, near the Russia-Ukraine border, in Russia's Kursk region following their autumn offensive and the subsequent Russian counteroffensive.

Compared to the peak of Ukraine’s offensive four months ago, the front line in the Kursk region has shrunk by about half, enabling Ukrainian units to organize a denser defense. These positions are held by units considered among the best in the Ukrainian army. Additionally, Russian forces in the Kursk region lack the numerical superiority they have on the Donetsk front.

Despite this, Russian forces are gradually pushing Ukrainian troops closer to the border. One of their objectives is to cut off the highway leading from Sudzha into Ukraine. This highway is already under constant attack by Russian drones, but for now, Ukrainian forces continue to use it for resupply and ammunition transport.

A significant challenge for the Ukrainian army is that this "meat grinder" around Sudzha is depleting their elite units. The longer these units remain engaged, the greater their losses. The same applies to Russian forces, of course, but the Russian army appears less sensitive to such losses.

By Jaanus Piirsalu, War Correspondent at Postimees

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