Ukraine Captures North Korean Soldiers in Kursk Region

Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia‘s Kursk region, marking the first time Kyiv has announced the capture of North Korean troops alive since their involvement in the conflict began last autumn. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the capture on Saturday, stating that the soldiers were brought to Kyiv and are currently being questioned by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).

The soldiers, who were reportedly born in 2005 and 1999, have been serving in the North Korean armed forces since 2021 and 2016, respectively. According to the SBU, one of the soldiers was captured with a fake Russian military ID, while the other lacked any identification. Both are receiving medical treatment, with one suffering from a facial wound and the other from a leg fracture.

Zelenskiy emphasized that the soldiers are being treated in accordance with international law and that journalists will be given access to interview them. The SBU is conducting a criminal investigation to determine if the soldiers violated Ukraine’s laws against planning or conducting war.

North Korea has been supplying Russia with artillery shells, and Kyiv estimates that over 10,000 North Korean troops have entered the conflict on Russia’s side. However, Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. Pyongyang has also not responded to the latest reports.

Ukraine’s special forces, working alongside paratroopers, captured the soldiers during an operation in the Kursk region. A drone video released by the SBU showed five men in ghillie suits in a forested area, though details of the operation remain unclear. The SBU stated that the soldiers are being questioned with the assistance of South Korea‘s National Intelligence Service (NIS) due to language barriers.

This development comes as Ukraine continues to assert control over parts of the Kursk region, despite ongoing hostilities. The capture of North Korean soldiers highlights the increasingly international dimension of the conflict, with foreign fighters and supplies playing a significant role in the war effort.