Zelensky Proposes Exchange of Two North Korean Soldiers Captured in Kursk for Ukrainian POWs

Jan 12, 2025, 08:21 PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed an exchange of two North Korean soldiers, captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. This marks the first time Ukraine has announced capturing North Korean soldiers alive since their deployment last autumn. Zelensky announced that Ukraine is ready to return the captured North Korean soldiers to their leader, Kim Jong Un, if he can facilitate the exchange for Ukrainian soldiers detained in Russia. He also mentioned that there will likely be more North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces in the future, emphasizing the dependency of the Russian army on North Korean military assistance. Approximately 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed in the Kursk region, and both Russian and North Korean forces have reportedly suffered heavy losses.