Thousands of North Koreans fought for Russia. A memorial hints at the death toll

A BBC investigation based on satellite imagery and official North Korean photographs estimates approximately 2,300 North Korean soldiers have died fighting for Russia in Ukraine, derived from analysis of names engraved on memorial walls unveiled in Pyongyang on 26 April. South Korea's National Intelligence Service previously estimated 6,000 of the 11,000 North Korean personnel deployed to Russia have been killed or wounded since their deployment to the Kursk region in August 2024, though neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has officially disclosed casualty figures.