Ukrainian forces have captured two injured North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region, marking the first public confirmation of North Korean troops being detained in Ukraine since their deployment to support Russia last year.
Ukraine has captured two injured North Korea n soldiers from the battlefield in Russia’s Kursk region and transferred them to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. Two soldiers, though wounded, survived and were transported to Kyiv, where they are now communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, alongside a series of photos of the prisoners.
It is the first time Ukraine has said it has detained North Korean troops since Pyongyang deployed an estimated 11,000 soldiers to support Russia late last year, according to the U.S. and its allies. Neither Russia nor North Korea have publicly acknowledged the troop deployment. “As with all prisoners of war, these two North Korean soldiers are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” Zelenskyy said, noting that their capture “was not an easy task,” adding the claim that Russian and North Korean soldiers 'usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war against Ukraine.” One of the images posted by Zelenskyy showed a man with both arms bandaged and a striped sweater pulled over his shoulders. Another man is pictured with swollen lips and a bandage wrapped around his head. Two other images showed the cover and inside pages of a Russian document. Ukraine's military warned in December that Russia was trying to 'conceal the presence of North Korean military personnel by issuing them false documents.' It said military cards for North Koreans killed in the conflicts were 'missing all the stamps and photographs,' and that the signatures on the documents are in Korean, which “indicates the real origin of these soldiers.” In October, South Korean intelligence services said that North Korean special forces soldiers received Russian military uniforms and Russian-made weapons, as well as fake identification documents to make it look as if they come from Russia’s Far East, where people can resemble North Koreans. Zelensky said that he had instructed Ukraine's security service to allow journalists access to the prisoners. “The world needs to know the truth about what is happening,” he said. Zelenskyy said last week that 4,000 North Korean soldiers have died or been wounded in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have launched a cross-border incursion since August. The same month, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said some North Korean soldiers had taken their own lives rather than surrender to Ukrainian forces. These suicides, he said, were “likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they’re captured.
NORTH KOREA UKRAINE RUSSIA WAR SOLDIERS
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Over 30 North Korean soldiers dead or wounded in Russia's Kursk: UkraineAt least three North Korean servicemen also went missing near the village of Kurilovka, says Ukraine's Defense Intelligence.
Read more »
North Korean Troops Suffer Casualties Fighting Alongside Russia in UkraineA senior US military official reported that a few hundred North Korean troops fighting with Russian forces in Ukraine's Kursk border region have been killed or wounded. The official noted that the North Korean troops lack battle experience, contributing to their high casualty rate.
Read more »
North Korean Troops Sustain Heavy Casualties Fighting Alongside Russia in UkraineHundreds of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have been killed or wounded in battle, according to a U.S. military official.
Read more »
North Korean Troops Suffer Casualties While Fighting Alongside Russia in UkraineA senior US military official revealed that a couple hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk border region have been killed or wounded. The official stated that the North Korean forces lack battle experience, contributing to their high casualty rate.
Read more »
Over 1,000 North Korean casualties in Russia-Ukraine war, South Korea saysNorth Korea has sent thousands of troops to reinforce the Russian military in its war against Ukraine.
Read more »
Ukraine Says North Korean Troops Suffering Heavy Losses in RussiaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded fighting alongside Russia in the Kursk region.
Read more »