December 28th 2024.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a heartbreaking announcement, revealing that several North Korean soldiers who were captured by Ukrainian forces have died from their injuries. In his address yesterday, Zelensky shared the tragic news, saying that although the soldiers were successfully taken prisoner, their injuries were too severe for them to be saved.
The exact number of soldiers who were captured was not disclosed, but it is believed that these are the first North Koreans to be taken as prisoners of war by Ukraine. This news comes just after the South Korean parliament voted to impeach their acting president, adding to the tension in the region.
According to South Korea's spy agency, one of the wounded North Korean soldiers who was captured by Ukraine had already died from their injuries. CNN has reached out to both the South Korean National Intelligence Service and Ukrainian authorities for further comment on the situation.
It is known that North Korean troops were fighting in Russia's western Kursk region, and US and Ukrainian officials have reported heavy losses among them. This is believed to be due to the lightning incursion launched by Ukraine in August, which forced Russia to divert some of their troops to counter the threat.
President Zelensky has accused Russia of sending North Korean soldiers to the battlefield with minimal protection, resulting in severe losses for the country. He stated that the Russian military and North Korean supervisors do not seem to prioritize the survival of these soldiers.
The news of North Korean soldiers being captured and killed in Kursk is not new, with ongoing reports coming from various sources. The South Korean spy agency claims to have received real-time intelligence on the capture of these soldiers through their allies, but they did not specify which country shared the information.
The presence of North Korean troops in Russia has not been officially acknowledged by either Moscow or Pyongyang. However, according to intelligence estimates from the US, Ukraine, and South Korea, there could be as many as 11,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia. Some of them have already been involved in combat operations alongside tens of thousands of Russian forces in the Kursk region.
Ukraine estimates that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in Kursk, while a senior US official claims that hundreds have been casualties since October. A South Korean lawmaker has also stated that around 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed and nearly 1,000 injured since being deployed to Kursk, based on information from their intelligence agency.
Officials in Kyiv have accused Russia of trying to cover up the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the battlefield. In a recent incident, Ukrainian military seized fake military identification documents from three North Korean soldiers who were killed in Kursk. These documents had Russian names and birthplaces, leading Zelensky to believe that Russia is attempting to conceal the losses of North Korean soldiers by hiding their identities.
In a statement on December 17, Zelensky expressed his concern about the risks of North Korea sending more troops and military equipment to the Russian army. This comes after he received a report from the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, assuring him that their countries will continue to implement their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, which includes a mutual defense pact.
In the midst of all this tension and tragedy, we must not forget that these are real people fighting and dying on the battlefield. The situation in Kursk is devastating, with reports of North Korean soldiers being burned beyond recognition in an attempt to hide their identities. President Zelensky has condemned this extreme tactic, stating that the Russians are trying to literally burn the faces of North Korean soldiers killed in battle.
As the world watches and waits for updates on the situation in Kursk, we must remember to keep the affected soldiers and their families in our thoughts and prayers. The 9NEWS app is a great way to stay updated on all the latest news, including breaking news, sports, politics, and weather. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play today and receive notifications straight to your smartphone. Let us all hope for a peaceful resolution to this tragic situation.
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