President Volodymyr Zelensky urged China to use its influence over North Korea to prevent the deployment of North Korean soldiers to the frontline, during his evening address on Dec. 27. He emphasized the severe losses in Kursk Oblast that North Korean soldiers have faced thus far.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on China to exert influence on North Korea in response to the deployment of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian troops in the Ukraine war. "The Korean nation should not lose its people in the battles in Europe.

North Korean troops deployed in Russia's Kursk region are suffering heavy losses and being left unprotected by the Russian forces they are fighting alongside, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday.