Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian troops captured two North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.
The announcement followed renewed Ukrainian offensives in Kursk, aimed at holding ground gained during a lightning incursion in August. That advance marked the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II.
However, Moscow’s counterattacks have strained Ukrainian forces, leading to heavy losses and retaking over 40% of the 984 square kilometers Ukraine had seized.
“Our troops managed to capture two North Korean soldiers in Kursk,” Zelenskyy said on X, sharing photos of the wounded captives. Both soldiers, now in Kyiv, are cooperating with Ukrainian security services. The photos showed the men with bandages, one covering his jaw and the other both hands and wrists.
North Korean Soldiers Concealed by Russian Forces
Zelenskyy stated that capturing the soldiers alive was challenging, alleging that Russian and North Korean troops tried to conceal North Korea’s involvement. He claimed they even executed wounded comrades to prevent their capture and interrogation by Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine’s security agency SBU added details about the captured soldiers. One had no identification, while the other carried a Russian military ID with a name linked to Tuva.
The SBU noted that the prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English, or Russian. Communication is facilitated through Korean translators working with South Korean intelligence. One captive claimed he was told he was going to Russia for training, not to fight against Ukraine.
Both soldiers have received medical care under Geneva Conventions guidelines, and investigations continue in cooperation with South Korea’s intelligence services.
North Korea’s Role in Russia’s War
A senior Ukrainian military official estimated that approximately 200 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region.
This estimate, the first major figure on North Korean casualties, came weeks after Ukraine reported that Pyongyang had sent between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia. The soldiers were deployed to support Russia in its nearly three-year war against Ukraine.
The White House and Pentagon recently confirmed that North Korean forces are engaged in combat, primarily in infantry roles. These troops fight alongside Russian units and sometimes independently in the Kursk region.