Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, announced on Saturday the capture of two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia.
This marks the first instance of North Korean soldiers being captured alive since their entry into the conflict last autumn.
Kyiv and its western allies, who initially estimated the number of North Korean regular troops entering the war on Russia’s side in October to be 10,000 or more, confirmed the capture.
In a post on X, Zelenskiy stated that the soldiers had been brought to Kyiv and were in communication with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the country’s domestic intelligence agency.
“As with all prisoners of war, these two North Korean soldiers are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” Zelenskiy said. He also mentioned that journalists would be granted access to speak with them.
Kyiv reported that North Korean troops are fighting in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion in August and continues to control several hundred square kilometers of territory. Additionally, Kyiv and its allies disclosed that Pyongyang has been supplying Russia with large quantities of artillery shells.
Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk, and there was no immediate reaction from Moscow or Pyongyang to the latest report.
Previously, Ukraine had reported capturing North Korean soldiers in combat, but they had been badly wounded and subsequently died shortly after.
