Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces have captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, marking a historic first for Ukraine in terms of capturing living soldiers from the isolated nation.
In a statement shared on his social media platform X, Zelensky reported, “Our soldiers have apprehended North Korean military personnel in the Kursk area. Although wounded, both soldiers survived and have been transported to Kyiv. They are currently in communication with the Security Service of Ukraine.” Images of the injured soldiers accompanied his announcement.
Assessments by Ukrainian and Western intelligence estimate that around 11,000 North Korean troops are stationed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have taken control of several hundred square kilometers following a cross-border incursion last August.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently revealed that over 1,000 North Korean soldiers were either killed or injured in the Kursk area during the last week of December.
Zelensky added that capturing the North Korean soldiers was a challenge, stating, “This was not an easy task: Russian forces and their North Korean counterparts typically execute their wounded to erase any evidence of their involvement in the conflict against Ukraine.”
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Footage and photographs released show what Ukraine claims is a Russian military ID card found with one of the captured North Koreans, though CNN has obscured personal details. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) shared that one soldier was taken on January 9 by special forces, while the other was captured by paratroopers.
According to the SBU, both soldiers are being held under conditions that align with international law. Video evidence shows the two soldiers resting in bunk beds in a facility; one has a jaw wound, and an unidentified doctor notes that the second soldier suffers from a fractured leg.
Communication with the captured soldiers is being facilitated through Korean interpreters and in collaboration with the South Korean intelligence service.
This historic capture comes as Ukraine intensifies its operations in Kursk, a region it reclaimed following its bold incursion last summer. On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces reportedly launched a precision strike targeting a Russian military command post near Belaya.
After initially advancing quickly into Kursk—an unprecedented ground invasion by a foreign power since World War II—Ukrainian troops faced a counteroffensive that pushed them back. The front lines have seen minimal movement in recent weeks, but as fighting escalates, both Ukraine and Russia seem keen to consolidate territory ahead of potential peace negotiations—an urgent move as global political dynamics shift, especially with Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the White House promising resolutions for the conflict.
