Ukrainian forces have captured two North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region, marking the first time North Korean personnel have been taken alive in the nearly three-year-long conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the news on Saturday, providing details that have raised significant questions about Pyongyang's involvement in the war and Moscow's efforts to conceal it.
"Our soldiers have captured North Korean military personnel in the Kursk region. Two soldiers, though wounded, survived and were transported to Kyiv, where they are now communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)," Zelensky said in a statement. He noted the extraordinary difficulty of the operation, citing reports that Russian and North Korean forces often execute their wounded to prevent their capture.
First Evidence of North Korean Troops in Russia
The Ukrainian SBU released images showing the two soldiers resting in a cell, one with a jaw wound and the other with a fractured leg. According to the agency, communication with the captives is conducted through interpreters in cooperation with South Korean intelligence.
The SBU revealed that one of the soldiers carried a Russian military ID card under the name of a person from the Tuva region in Russia, issued last autumn. The second soldier had no identification. Preliminary interrogations suggested that one of the soldiers believed he was being sent to Russia for training rather than combat.
This development comes amid increasing evidence of North Korean involvement in Russia's war efforts. Ukrainian and U.S. officials have estimated that Pyongyang has deployed approximately 11,000 troops to support Moscow, with reports suggesting that these forces are primarily stationed in the Kursk region.
Escalation in Kursk
The capture of the North Korean soldiers coincided with a renewed Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, where Kyiv's forces have maintained a foothold since a surprise incursion last August. Despite initial successes, Ukrainian forces have faced intense counterattacks from Moscow, losing approximately 40% of the 984 square kilometers they had seized during the summer.
On Tuesday, Ukraine's military reported a precision strike on a Russian command post near the town of Belaya. Zelensky underscored the strategic importance of the Kursk offensive in his daily address, stating, this operation prevents Russian forces from redirecting troops to Donetsk and other critical areas.
North Korean Casualties Mount
According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, over 1,000 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have also claimed that North Korean units are often relegated to infantry roles and are poorly trained, with some receiving only a week of preparation alongside Russian forces.
Pyongyang's deployment of troops has been widely condemned, with the White House confirming their presence in frontline positions. South Korean intelligence has corroborated these reports, further deepening concerns over North Korea's alignment with Russia in the conflict.
Russia's Efforts to Conceal Involvement
The Ukrainian government has accused Moscow of attempting to hide the participation of North Korean soldiers. ""This was not an easy task: Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea's involvement in the war against Ukraine," Zelensky said, adding that wounded North Korean soldiers are often killed by their comrades to prevent their capture.
The Kursk region, now a critical front in the war, has seen significant devastation. Ukrainian forces had made swift advances in the summer, becoming the first foreign power since World War II to occupy Russian territory. However, the conflict in the region remains fierce, with both sides appearing to intensify efforts as potential peace talks loom.
