(Forelines) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Saturday that two North Korean soldiers were captured in Russia’s Kursk region, first time Ukraine has reported the capture of North Korean troops alive since they entered the conflict last autumn, reported by Reuters.
According to Kyiv and its western allies have reported that North Korean regular troops joined the conflict on Russia’s side in October, with initial estimates suggesting their numbers exceeded 10,000, cited by Reuters.
Ukrainian troops have captured North Korean military personnel in the Kursk region. Two soldiers, though injured, survived and were transported to Kyiv, where they are currently in contact with the Security Service of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated in a post on X.
“This was not an easy task: Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war against Ukraine,” he further said.
“I am grateful to the soldiers of Tactical Group No. 84 of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as our paratroopers, who captured these two individuals,” He added.
Like all prisoners of war, the two North Korean soldiers are receiving the required medical care, Zelenskiy said in a post.
“I have instructed the Security Service of Ukraine to grant journalists access to these prisoners. The world needs to know the truth about what is happening,” he added.
According to Kyiv cited by Reuters, that North Korean soldiers are engaged in combat in the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion in August. Kyiv stated that it still controls several hundred square kilometres of territory in the area.
As per Kyiv and its western allies, Pyongyang has further providing Russia with large amounts of artillery shells, cited by Reuters.
Ukraine had previously reported capturing North Korean soldiers in combat, but stated that they were severely wounded and died shortly after, as per Reuters.