Ukrainian forces capture two North Korean soldiers in Kursk, Zelensky says

KYIV, Ukraine,— Ukrainian forces have captured two North Korean soldiers during operations in Russia’s Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Saturday. This marks the first time Ukraine has reported taking North Korean troops alive since their involvement in the conflict last fall.

North Korea sent regular forces to support Russia in October 2024, according to Kyiv and Western allies, who initially estimated their deployment at over 10,000 soldiers.

In a post on X, Zelensky said the two captured soldiers were transferred to Kyiv, where they are being questioned by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the nation’s domestic intelligence agency.

“These North Korean soldiers, like all prisoners of war, are receiving necessary medical care,” Zelensky stated, adding that journalists will soon be allowed to interview them.

Ukraine claims North Korean troops are fighting in the Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian forces launched an offensive in August. Kyiv asserts it continues to hold several hundred square kilometers of territory in the region.

North Korea has also been accused of supplying large quantities of artillery shells to Russia, according to Ukraine and Western intelligence.

There has been no response from Moscow or Pyongyang regarding the reported capture, and Russia has not confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk.

In a subsequent video address, Zelensky detailed that Ukraine’s special forces, working alongside paratroopers, conducted the operation to capture the two soldiers.

Footage shared by Ukraine’s special forces, reportedly filmed by a drone, showed men in camouflage moving through a wooded area, though specific details were unclear. The SBU later released a video showing the two captured soldiers.

One prisoner had a jaw injury and was seen drinking through a straw, while the other, with a leg fracture, appeared bandaged. A doctor in the video, whose identity was concealed, confirmed one soldier required dental treatment, while the other had a severe leg wound.

The SBU said the captives, born in 1999 and 2005, had been serving in the North Korean armed forces since 2016 and 2021, respectively. The soldiers, who do not speak Ukrainian, Russian, or English, are being interrogated in Korean with assistance from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Documents recovered from one soldier included a Russian military ID belonging to another person, while the second soldier carried no identification, the SBU noted.

The agency emphasized that the prisoners are being held under conditions compliant with international law. A criminal investigation is underway to determine whether the soldiers violated Ukrainian laws prohibiting planning or participating in war.

Ukraine previously reported capturing North Korean soldiers, but those individuals were said to have died from severe injuries shortly after being taken into custody.

Zelensky’s latest announcement highlights Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to counter Russian-backed forces and their foreign allies, as the conflict enters a protracted phase.

Zelensky willing to exchangr North Korean soldiers for Ukrainians held by Russia

Zelensky said on Sunday that Kyiv is ready to hand over captured North Korean soldiers to their leader, Kim Jong Un, if an exchange can be arranged for Ukrainians detained by Russia.

“The first North Korean soldiers have been captured, and there will be more. It is only a matter of time until our forces take others,” Zelensky said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Ukraine is prepared to return Kim Jong Un’s soldiers if he can facilitate their swap for our fighters held by Russia,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky added that North Korean prisoners who do not want to return home may have alternative options, stating, “Those who wish to contribute to peace by sharing the truth about this war in Korean will have that opportunity.”

(With files from Reuters)

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