North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has publicly acknowledged that his country sent an engineering regiment to Russia’s Kursk region for about 120 days, where they carried out landmine clearance and other support tasks linked to Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to state media and foreign intelligence assessments. At a large ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim welcomed the unit home, embraced returning soldiers, and conferred North Korea’s top "Hero of the Republic" title and the Order of Freedom and Independence on nine troops reported killed during the mission. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies say this deployment is part of a broader pattern in which Pyongyang has sent thousands of personnel to assist Russian military operations as the invasion nears its fourth year. Analysts cited in regional media say Russia is likely compensating North Korea with financial assistance and military technology, deepening a partnership that has worried governments watching the conflict from afar.

Highlights:

• Mine-clearance role: Kim said the engineering troops transformed a "danger zone" in Russia’s Kursk region into a "safe one" by clearing landmines, a task he described as among the most hazardous on the battlefield.
• Ceremonial honors: North Korean state media reported that the regiment as a whole received the Order of Freedom and Independence, while the nine fallen soldiers were awarded the "Hero of the Republic" medal posthumously.
• Scale of deployment: South Korean and Western intelligence services estimate that North Korea has dispatched several thousand troops to support various Russian operations, beyond the single regiment publicly acknowledged by Pyongyang.
• Growing Russia ties: Analysts quoted in Asian media say Moscow is believed to be compensating Pyongyang with money, energy supplies, and military know-how in return for battlefield support and munitions.
• Domestic messaging: State media coverage emphasized loyalty to Kim and framed the mission as proof that North Korea stands by "friendly" states abroad, reinforcing propaganda themes of international solidarity.

You have turned a dangerous zone into a safe one, and a death zone into a place of life. - Kim Jong Un

Perspectives:

• North Korean leadership: Kim portrayed the deployment as a proud international mission, praising the troops for "turning a dangerous zone into a safe one" and holding them up as models of devotion to the state. (The Guardian)
• South Korean and Western intelligence: Foreign intelligence agencies view the engineering unit as part of a wider pattern in which North Korea has quietly sent thousands of soldiers to assist Russia’s long-running invasion of Ukraine. (South China Morning Post)
• Regional security analysts: Analysts cited in regional reporting argue that the mission illustrates deepening military cooperation, with Russia likely offering financial support and technology transfers in exchange for North Korean manpower and munitions. (South China Morning Post)

Sources:

• North Korea’s Kim bestows ‘hero’ titles on soldiers killed in Ukraine war - aljazeera.com
• Kim Jong-un admits North Korean troops clearing landmines for Russia - theguardian.com
• North Korea admits sending troops to Russia’s Kursk region to clear mines - firstpost.com
• North Korean leader Kim hails troops returning from Russia mission, state media says - japantoday.com
• Kim Jong Un welcomes back North Korean soldiers returning from fighting for Russia - euronews.com
• North Korean Soldiers Return From Russia’s War With Ukraine - nytimes.com
• North Korea’s Kim reveals soldiers cleared mines for Russia, in rare public statement - scmp.com
• North Korean leader Kim hails troops returning from Russia mission, State media says - thehindu.com