Ukrainian forces have captured soldiers from North Korea for the first time, with initial footage emerging.
North Korean soldiers fighting alongside the Russian regime against Ukraine are sustaining heavy losses. On Saturday, January 11, it was reported that Ukrainian servicemen managed to capture soldiers from North Korea for the first time.
They were injured on the battlefield but survived. Currently, Kim Jong Un's soldiers are being held in a special facility in Kyiv. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
It is known that one North Korean soldier was captured on January 9, 2025, by fighters from Tactical Group No. 84 of the Special Operations Forces, while another was taken by airborne troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Immediately after their capture, the foreigners were provided with all necessary medical assistance as stipulated by the Geneva Convention," the statement said.
The captives were transported to Kyiv for urgent investigative actions.
5 6 7 8 It is known that the prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English, or Russian, so communication with them takes place through Korean language interpreters in collaboration with South Korean intelligence.
At the time of their capture, one of the foreigners had a Russian military ID issued in the name of another individual registered in the Republic of Tuva, Russia. The other was completely without documents.
9 Additionally, during the interrogation, the North Korean soldier who had the ID stated to SBU officials that this document was issued to him in Russia in the fall of 2024. According to him, part of the North Korean combat units underwent training alongside Russian troops for a week at that time.
He claimed to have been born in 2005, held the position of a shooter, and had been serving in the North Korean military since 2021. He emphasized that he was supposedly going for training, not to fight against Ukraine.
The other prisoner confirmed his "partner's" testimony. He provided some answers to questions in writing, as his jaw was injured.
Preliminary data indicates he was born in 1999 and has been serving in the North Korean army since 2016 as a sniper-reconnaissance soldier.
Currently, the SBU is conducting an investigation into this case.
0 1 What is known about the North Korean military
"North Korean troops will utilize Russian equipment and ammunition. The first contingent of 2,600 soldiers will be sent to Kursk, where Ukraine has established a foothold amidst fierce fighting. The destination for the others is still unclear," Budanov stated, adding that Ukrainian intelligence does not yet have a complete picture.
As previously reported by "Telegraph," there are discussions in South Korea about the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine. They have already been spotted at the front. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Eun-hye stated that this is the latest sign of deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Recall that according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, North Korea has already lost over 3,000 of its soldiers killed and wounded in Kursk. At the same time, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to send more soldiers and weapons to Russia.
Earlier, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council Andrey Kovalенко stated that North Korea's assistance is a major disgrace for Russia, as without fighters from North Korea, it cannot hold its ground in Kursk, and without ammunition from Kim Jong Un, it cannot sustain the front overall.