North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in October 2024 to aid Russia in the Ukrainian Kursk offensive, their attacks on Ukrainian positions were described as "human wave attacks" in December 2024 by Kirby, who assessed that the attacks had resulted in over 1,000 killed and wounded North Korean soldiers in one week on the front. He added that it was "clear" that Russian and North Korean military leaders saw the North Koreans as "expendable".
North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in October 2024 to aid Russia in the Ukrainian Kursk offensive, their attacks on Ukrainian positions were described as "human wave attacks" in December 2024 by Kirby, who assessed that the attacks had resulted in over 1000 killed and wounded North Korean soldiers in one week on the front. He added that it was "clear" that Russian and North Korean military leaders saw the North Koreans as "expendable".