Keystone-SDA
South Korean intelligence confirmed Sunday that Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region. He indicated that he was participating in their interrogation alongside the Ukrainian services.
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January 12, 2025 – 04:02
(Keystone-ATS) “The National Intelligence Service (NIS), through real-time cooperation with the Intelligence Agency of Ukraine (SBU) […] confirmed that the Ukrainian army captured two North Korean soldiers on January 9 on the battlefield of Kursk, Russia,” the NIS said in a statement.
Ukraine, the United States and South Korea have accused Pyongyang of sending more than 10,000 troops to help Russia in its war in Ukraine.
kyiv claimed Saturday that it had captured two soldiers believed to be North Korean and interrogated them in custody, without presenting direct evidence that the captured men were North Korean. The AFP was unable to independently verify their nationality.
“Significant losses”
South Korean intelligence statements support kyiv’s statements, while neither Russia nor North Korea have reacted. The NIS said one of the captured soldiers revealed during interrogation that he had received military training from Russian forces after arriving in November.
“He initially thought he was being sent for training, then realized upon arrival in Russia that he had been deployed” to the front, the NIS said. The soldier said North Korean forces suffered “significant losses during the fighting.”
According to the SBU, the men told interrogators that they were experienced soldiers.
The NIS said it would continue to work with the SBU to share information on North Korean fighters in Ukraine.
