Recent reports have shed light on the intense conflict in Russia’s Kursk region, where North Korean soldiers are engaged in battle against Ukrainian forces. The situation has escalated to the point where some North Korean soldiers have resorted to drastic measures, including suicide, to evade capture.
Following a recent battle, Ukrainian special forces discovered more than a dozen North Korean soldiers who had been killed in action. Among them was one soldier who, when approached by Ukrainian troops, detonated a grenade, taking his own life but causing no harm to the Ukrainian forces nearby.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the capture of two North Korean prisoners of war in a recent address to the nation. Zelenskyy expressed the challenges faced in capturing these soldiers, noting that North Korean and Russian forces have been resorting to extreme measures to prevent their troops from being taken captive.
Reports suggest that as many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia, with a significant number stationed in Kursk to counter Ukrainian advances. South Korean intelligence estimates that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been casualties since entering the conflict in mid-November.
In a video shared by Zelenskyy, captured North Korean soldiers can be seen receiving medical attention and being questioned about their involvement in the conflict. One soldier claimed he was unaware that he was being sent to fight against Ukraine and believed he was participating in training exercises.
Western intelligence sources have indicated that North Korean troops may not have been adequately prepared for the intensity of the conflict. Zelenskyy expressed confidence that more North Korean soldiers may be captured in the future, hinting at the possibility of exchanges for Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia.
As the situation continues to unfold, the conflict in the Kursk region remains a focal point of the ongoing tensions between Ukraine, Russia, and foreign forces involved in the conflict.
