Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Saturday that two North Korean soldiers were captured while fighting with Russian forces in the Kursk border region.
The announcement came after Ukraine launched renewed attacks in Kursk to secure territory gained during a swift August offensive. That operation marked the first time since World War II that Ukrainian forces occupied Russian territory.
However, Moscow’s counterattacks have been effective, killing or wounding thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and reclaiming over 40% of the 984 square kilometers previously seized by Ukraine.
Details of the Captured Soldiers
Zelenskyy revealed that the captured soldiers were injured but alive and have been transported to Kyiv for questioning. He posted photos of the men on cots in a room with barred windows, showing one with bandaged hands and wrists and the other with his jaw wrapped.
Zelenskyy described their capture as a challenging operation. He alleged that Russian and North Korean forces in Kursk have concealed North Korean involvement by killing wounded comrades to prevent their capture and interrogation.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) provided additional details about the captives. One soldier carried no identification, while the other had a Russian military ID from Tuva, a Russian region near Mongolia.
The SBU noted the soldiers do not speak Ukrainian, English, or Russian, so South Korean intelligence translators are aiding communication. One soldier claimed he was told he would train in Russia, not fight against Ukraine.
Both men have received medical treatment in compliance with the Geneva Conventions and remain under investigation in cooperation with South Korean intelligence services.
North Korean Troops on the Front Lines
A senior Ukrainian military official recently estimated that approximately 200 North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk have been killed or wounded.
The figure provides the first detailed account of North Korean casualties in the conflict, weeks after Ukraine reported that Pyongyang sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to support Russia in its nearly three-year war.
Last month, the White House and Pentagon confirmed North Korean forces are engaged in the conflict, primarily in infantry roles. These soldiers have been fighting alongside Russian units and, in some cases, operating independently in the Kursk region.
