Ukrainian forces detail capture of injured North Korean soldier in Kursk
Published: 22 Jan. 2025, 16:34
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- SEO JI-EUN
- [email protected]
![A North Korean soldier wounded and captured by Ukrainian forces is seen in this photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Telegram channel on Jan. 11. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/22/3722543f-d95e-48d1-9402-c756c5558767.jpg)
A North Korean soldier wounded and captured by Ukrainian forces is seen in this photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Telegram channel on Jan. 11. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Ukrainian forces detailed the capture of a North Korean soldier on the western Kursk front in Russia on Tuesday.
According to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA), citing a video shared by Ukraine’s 95th Air Assault Brigade on their Telegram channel, the capture occurred after Ukrainian paratroopers identified an unidentified figure using drone surveillance who was injured on the battlefield.
A Ukrainian soldier with the callsign “Grandfather” recounted the moment, initially mistaking the man for a fellow Ukrainian soldier due to his uniform. However, he noted his distinctive appearance and that he did not respond to communication attempts in Russian, English or Ukrainian.
Upon searching him, the paratroopers found he was armed with a grenade and a knife and carried a sausage to eat.
The soldier reportedly resisted fiercely while being transported by vehicle.
“On the way to the road, he suddenly slammed his head against a pole," Grandfather said, "as if trying to provoke us to come closer.”
North Korean soldiers often prefer suicide to the prospect of capture, according to reports.
After his capture, the North Korean soldier received medical treatment and food from Ukrainian forces.
He also made a peculiar request to watch a "love story film," but later asked for a Korean-language film when he couldn’t understand Ukrainian.
While the brigade did not disclose the soldier's identity, RFA suggested that he may be the 26-year-old sniper previously mentioned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as one of two captured North Korean servicemen.
BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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