Ukraine Captures North Korean Soldiers in Kursk, Highlights 4,000 DPRK Casualties

Jan 20, 2025, 09:24 AM

Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region, marking the first confirmed instance of Pyongyang’s direct involvement in the conflict. The soldiers, aged 20 and 26, are currently receiving medical treatment in Kyiv. Interrogations revealed that the soldiers were sent to Russia under the guise of military training and were integrated into Russian units under false identities. Documents and personal items recovered from the captives indicate strict orders to avoid capture, including directives to take their own lives. Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that these orders align with North Korea’s military doctrine, which emphasizes ideological control and personal sacrifice. Additional reports, including one from The Wall Street Journal, suggest that North Korean troops executed surrendering Ukrainian soldiers, citing the deaths of their comrades as justification. Reports also indicate that Russian forces inflicted facial burns on North Korean soldiers to obscure their identities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that North Korea has suffered 4,000 casualties, including killed and wounded soldiers, in the ongoing war. The presence of North Korean forces in Ukraine raises concerns about deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, with analysts suggesting an expansion of North Korea’s support to Russia beyond artillery and missile supplies. Ukraine has called for an international response to North Korea’s involvement.