Two North Korean soldiers were captured in the Russian region of Kursk by Ukraine, we learned on January 11, 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his troops had taken prisoner, in the Russian region of Kursk, two North Korean soldiers who were transferred to kyiv where they are being interrogated.
The soldiers are questioned
“These are two soldiers who, although injured, survived and were transported to kyiv where they are speaking with SBU investigators”the Ukrainian security services, Mr. Zelensky said on Telegram, accompanying his message with photos of the two suspected soldiers in custody.
“It was not an easy task: usually the Russians and other North Korean soldiers finish off their wounded and do everything to erase evidence of the participation of another state, North Korea, in the war against ‘Ukraine”he continued.
The leader accompanied his message with photos of the two suspected soldiers in custody. One of them has visible bandages around his hands, the other around his chin.
“The world needs to know what’s happening.”
According to Mr. Zelensky, these prisoners receive “all necessary medical assistance”. He claimed to have ordered the SBU to provide press access to detainees: “The world needs to know what’s happening.”he indicated.
At the end of December 2024, Volodymyr Zelensky declared that very seriously injured North Korean soldiers had died in Ukraine after being taken prisoner.
According to kyiv, 12,000 North Korean soldiers, including around 500 officers, are in the Kursk region, of which the Ukrainian army has occupied several hundred square kilometers since August.
Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the presence of this contingent.