Ukraine’s escalating counteroffensive struck a significant blow in Russia’s Kursk region with a Storm Shadow missile attack that killed a top Russian commander and wounded a senior North Korean general, according to Western officials. This marks the first confirmed instance of a high-ranking North Korean military officer becoming a casualty in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The attack, carried out Wednesday, targeted a government estate in Marino, about 20 miles from the front lines. Videos verified by independent investigators captured the sound of multiple explosions at the site, which reportedly includes underground facilities. The missiles killed Lieutenant General Valery Solodchuk, First Deputy Commander of the Leningrad Military District, and injured several North Korean officers stationed at a command post there.
North Korea recently committed to sending 12,000 troops to support Russia in Ukraine, with reports indicating the number could rise to 100,000. Some of these forces have been integrated into Russian units, while others reportedly operate as distinct North Korean formations in areas like Kursk.
The Kremlin has remained notably quiet about the strike, possibly to avoid drawing attention to the presence of North Korean forces on Russian soil. This contrasts with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vocal response to a smaller Ukrainian attack in Bryansk Oblast using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles, where he issued warnings of potential nuclear retaliation.
The Kursk attack, involving a dozen British-made Storm Shadow missiles, is the largest single use of the cruise missile in the conflict to date, underscoring its strategic importance. Ukraine has also informed the UN Security Council that it has identified three North Korean generals operating in the war zone.
North Korea’s involvement in the conflict further complicates the international landscape, adding another layer of geopolitical tension to the ongoing war.
