Ukraine Reports Capture and Death of North Korean Soldiers Fighting alongside Russia; Seoul Confirms POW
In a grim turn of events, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that several North Korean soldiers, engaged on the side of Russia in its war against Ukraine, were captured but later succumbed to their injuries. Zelensky shared this news in a video address on Friday, December 27.
"Our military did manage to capture several North Korean soldiers today. However, their injuries were so severe that we couldn’t revive them," Zelensky stated. The Ukrainian president also revealed that North Korean soldiers deployed by Russia in the Kursk region have suffered heavy losses, with both Russian military and North Korean overseers seemingly disinterested in their survival.
"Especially troubling are incidents where their own comrades are killed to prevent capture," Zelensky asserted, citing evidence to support his claim. Reports emerged a day prior, on Thursday, December 26, presenting images allegedly showing the first North Korean soldier taken prisoner in the Kursk region of Russia.
In response to these developments, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that the country’s intelligence services have confirmed the capture of a North Korean soldier by Ukrainian forces. The agency cited unnamed officials, who also estimated that around 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia so far, with signs indicating further military personnel and equipment could be sent.
