Ukraine has captured two North Korean troopers combating in Russia’s Kursk area, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated.
The injured pair at the moment are in Kyiv and speaking with the Safety Service of Ukraine, the nation’s home intelligence company, he stated.
Ukrainian particular forces and paratroopers captured the North Koreans, Mr Zelenskyy stated in a submit on X.
“As with all prisoners of war, these two North Korean soldiers are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” he stated.
“I’ve instructed the Safety Service of Ukraine to grant journalists entry to those prisoners.
“The world needs to know the truth about what is happening.”
Mr Zelenskyy stated capturing the troopers alive was “not easy”. He additionally claimed Russian and North Korean forces combating in Kursk have tried to hide the presence of North Korean troopers, together with by killing wounded comrades on the battlefield to keep away from their seize and interrogation by Ukraine.
The submit included photos of the 2 males – one with a bandage round his jaw and the opposite round each palms and wrists – and what seemed to be a Russian army doc.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
0:40
Ukrainian drone targets Kursk troopers
Ukraine’s safety service SBU on Saturday supplied additional particulars.
It stated a type of detained had no paperwork in any respect, whereas the opposite had been carrying a Russian army ID card within the identify of a person from Tuva, a Russian area bordering Mongolia.
“The prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English or Russian, so communication with them takes place through Korean translators in cooperation with South Korean intelligence,” a press release stated.
One of many troopers claimed he had been informed he was going to Russia for coaching, slightly than to struggle towards Ukraine, in accordance with the SBU.
The company added each males are being supplied with medical care in keeping with the Geneva Conventions, and investigated “in cooperation with South Korean intelligence”.
North Korean common troops entered the struggle on Russia’s facet in October, in accordance with Ukraine and its Western allies.
US, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence assessments counsel as much as 12,000 North Korean fight troops have been despatched by Pyongyang below a pact with Moscow.
They imagine North Korea has additionally been supplying Russia with huge portions of artillery shells.
