Thousands of North Korean troops helped Russia regain some of its territory in the Kursk region following Ukraine's counterattack, but the Russian army is now using them less on the front line and have pulled some back.

South Korea's spy agency says that North Korean forces have suffered more than 3,000 casualties while fighting alongside Russian troops.

Ukrainian president highlights incursion into Kursk region, alleged Russian losses, London's continued support in talks with UK foreign secretary - Anadolu Ajansı

North Korean troops have not been seen on the frontlines in Russia’s Kursk region for several weeks, a Ukrainian military official said Friday, amid reports of mass casualties among Pyongyang’s forces.

Ukraine’s offensive in Kursk has dealt a heavy blow to Russia—nearly 40,000 troops lost, including 16,000 killed.

January, there have been no signs showing North Korean troops deployed to the Russian Kursk region engaging in battle," South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said, suggesting that heavy losses may have been one of the reasons for their withdrawal.

North Korean soldiers previously fighting alongside Russia's army on the Kursk front line appear not to have been engaged in combat since mid-January, South Korea's spy agency told AFP on Tuesday, after Ukraine claimed they had been withdrawn following heavy losses.

North Korean troops, largely special ops forces, have suffered high casualties in bloody assaults not unlike other units, including prison units.