He National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea confirmed this Friday the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier by Ukrainian forces, marking the first known case of its kind in the context of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Through real-time information exchange with the intelligence agency of an allied country, it has been confirmed that an injured North Korean soldier has been captured,” the South Korean intelligence agency said in a statement.
The confirmation comes after the Ukrainian media Militarnyispecialized in military issues, will report this Thursday on the capture of the soldier during an operation carried out in the region of Kurskon the Russian Western Front.
The media indicated that the operation also resulted in the obtaining of “trophies,” such as prisoners and an armored vehicle, although it did not specify the date of the incident. A photograph spread on Telegram shows a man with Asian features, visibly emaciated, being carried by Ukrainian soldiers.
“The special forces group carried out an operation to destroy the enemy in the Kursk sector. In addition to the successful completion of the task, there were also trophies: prisoners, including a North Korean mercenary, and an armored vehicle”says the text of the Ukrainian media.
South Korean officials indicated that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia as part of the military support of the regime Pyongyang to Moscow. In addition, preparations were detected to increase said deployment with more troops and military equipment.
This exchange, according to international observers, could intensify tensions both in Europe and on the Korean peninsula.
The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenskystated this week that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers died or were injured in the Kursk region, according to preliminary data.
Was Ukraine’s first estimate of North Korean casualties several weeks after kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help her in the war.
The revelation of the casualties occurred while the administration of the US president Joe Biden was pushing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before the president-elect Donald Trump take over.
“There is a risk that North Korea will send more soldiers and military equipment to the Russian army. We will have an answer about it,” Zelensky said in a message posted on Telegram.
Zelensky also warned about the global impact of collaboration between Russia and North Korea. According to the president, this alliance is promoting the dissemination of technology and military experience that could increase instability in the Asia-Pacific region. In this context, he made a call to exert “effective pressure” against both nations.
For its part, Andriy Kovalenkohead of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, warned about the possibility that North Korean drones be tested on the Russian front at Kursk. According to Kovalenko, this technological collaboration could give new capabilities to the combined Russian and North Korean forces.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that at least 18 Russian soldiers died in a Ukrainian attack carried out this Wednesday, against a military command post Russian in the city of Lgov in Kursk.
“According to updated information, the building where the command post of the 810th Marine Brigade was located was partially destroyed,” a Ukrainian statement said.
The attack on the town, which is located about 30 kilometers from the active combat zone in the Kursk region, likely killed the brigade’s deputy commander and 17 other Russian servicemen, most of whom were staff officers. according to the statement.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
