Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) reportedly captured a North Korean soldier deployed to Russia during an operation in Kursk on Thursday, according to Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military news outlet.
A photograph of the suspected soldier was reportedly released on a closed Telegram channel.
The man in the photo appears to have suffered significant injuries, although it remains unclear whether he has received medical treatment or what his current condition is.
If confirmed as a North Korean soldier, he would be the first to be captured by Ukrainian forces, according to local media reports.
North Korea is reportedly deploying more than 11,000 soldiers to support Russia.
These troops have been stationed in Kursk, a region occupied by Russia following a sudden offensive in Ukraine, and have recently been actively deployed to the front lines.
The number of casualties among North Korean troops continues to rise.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) recently claimed that North Korean and Russian soldiers operating as mixed units in airborne and marine forces have suffered severe, irrecoverable losses due to Ukrainian attacks.
In Kursk, where Russia has struggled for months to regain control, North Korean troops are particularly vulnerable to Ukrainian drones due to the open terrain.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 23 on X that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or injured in Kursk.
The DIU said that North Korean soldiers have minimal experience in modern warfare, especially drone operations, and continue to rely on outdated tactics reminiscent of World War II.
Ukrainian media outlets report that despite significant casualties, North Korean troops continue to prepare for infantry advances with little change to their conventional strategies.
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]
