North Korea Admits Sending Troops to Clear Mines in Russia’s Kursk Region

N Korea: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed that his country deployed troops to clear landmines in Russia’s Kursk region earlier this year, a rare public acknowledgement by Pyongyang of the dangerous tasks assigned to its soldiers abroad, state media reported on Saturday.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim made the remarks during a welcome ceremony held on Friday for an engineering regiment that had returned from a 120-day deployment which began in August. He revealed that nine soldiers were killed during the mission and were posthumously awarded state honours for their bravery.

Kim praised the troops for their “mass heroism,” saying they endured extreme mental and physical hardship while transforming “a vast area of danger zone into a safe and secure one in less than three months.” He added that the soldiers wrote letters home during breaks in mine-clearing operations, highlighting their emotional resilience.

KCNA released images showing Kim warmly embracing returning soldiers, some of whom appeared injured and seated in wheelchairs. Other photographs depicted him consoling the families of fallen troops and kneeling before portraits of deceased soldiers to pay tribute.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies estimate that thousands of North Korean troops have been sent to assist Russia in its nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine. Analysts believe Moscow is providing financial assistance, military technology, food and energy supplies in return—helping Pyongyang mitigate the impact of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and missile programmes.

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North Korea officially confirmed the deployment of its troops in April, acknowledging for the first time that its soldiers had been killed in combat. Previous state media footage has shown Kim visibly emotional while honouring returned soldiers and flag-draped coffins of those who died during the mission.

The acknowledgement marks one of the clearest admissions yet of North Korea’s direct military involvement in support of Russia.