Zelensky claims that more than 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in Kursk

Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky stated that more than 3,000 soldiers from the North Korean regime were either killed or wounded in Russia's Kursk region during a Ukrainian military operation.

"Today we received a report from commander-in-chief Syrskyi on the front line and areas of the Kursk operation. There is a risk that North Korea will send additional troops and military equipment to the Russian military, and we will have tangible answers to this. Now, according to preliminary data, the number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded in the Kursk region already exceeds 3,000," the Ukranian leader reported via his X profile.

"It is important for the world to understand that the risk of destabilization around the Korean peninsula and in the neighboring regions or waters increases proportionally with the growing cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. The transfer of modern warfare expertise and the proliferation of military technologies from Russia constitute a global threat. For the world, the cost of restoring stability is always much higher than the cost of effectively pressuring those who destabilize the situation and destroy lives," he added.

This figure is significantly higher than the estimate provided by the South Korean government, which placed the number of casualties among North Korean soldiers at over 1,100.

Zelensky referred to the North Korean troops fallen in combat a few days after rejecting the possibility of a ceasefire.

The Ukrainian president justified his decision by stating that the guarantees offered by the international community are insufficient to compel Russia to halt its attacks on Ukraine.