Pentagon on Dec. 16 reported that North Korean troops suffered casualties in assault operations alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast. "Russia is not only involving North Korean soldiers in assaults on Ukrainian positions, but is also trying to hide the losses of these people," Zelensky said via his official Telegram channel. The Russian military has attempted to keep the presence of North Korean units secret throughout their training and deployment, Zelensky said. He also claimed that Moscow has resorted to extreme tactics to disguise the identities of North Korean soldiers killed in combat. Russia tries to "burn the faces" of North Korean soldiers after they are killed, Zelensky alleged. His post shared a video purportedly showing Russian personnel setting fire to the bodies of North Korean fighters on the front line.