North Korean Soldiers in Russia Ordered to Commit Suicide to Avoid Capture by Ukrainian Forces

North Korean troops stationed in Russia’s Kursk region have reportedly been ordered to commit suicide rather than risk being captured by Ukraine’s Armed Forces, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), South Korean media outlet Yonhap reported on January 13.

On January 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the capture of the first North Korean soldiers.

“This was no easy task,” Zelenskyy stated. “Russian forces and North Korean troops typically execute their own wounded to prevent evidence of North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy also proposed a prisoner exchange to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, offering to swap North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian troops held by Russia. He suggested an alternative for those unwilling to return to North Korea.

In a recent video, released by Ukraine, two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s western Kursk region are shown as prisoners of war. One of them, when asked if he wished to return to North Korea, expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine instead. The nearly three-minute video, shared by Zelenskyy, highlights the soldier’s refusal to return to his homeland.

“For those who wish to promote peace by spreading the truth about this war in Korean, they will be given the opportunity,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that the capture of additional North Korean soldiers is inevitable. “This is only a matter of time,” he said, underscoring the extent to which Russia’s military now relies on Pyongyang’s support.

“Three years ago, [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin issued ultimatums to NATO and tried to rewrite history. Now, he cannot sustain his war without military aid from North Korea,” Zelenskyy noted.

The agency added that as of early January, approximately 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed, and another 2,700 wounded, during combat. The heavy casualties are attributed to what the NIS described as a “lack of understanding of modern warfare,” including “ineffective” attempts to target long-range drones.

Reports suggest that between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed. According to the US State Department, these troops began participating in combat operations alongside Russian forces in mid-November.

Earlier, John Kirby, a US Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, stated that North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces are suffering heavy losses, with reports of soldiers attempting to take their own lives.