Russia Loses 3000 More North Koreans as Zelensky Airs POW Video
January 13, 2025
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About 300 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia to fight against Ukrainian forces have been killed, and a further 2,700 were injured, South Korean intelligence reported on Monday, shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aired a prisoner of war video.
Newsweek contacted the Kremlin, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the North Korean Embassy in London for comment by email on Monday.
Why It Matters
The video, filmed by Ukrainian intelligence and released late on Sunday, corroborates reports from Ukraine and South Korea late last year that Pyongyang deployed an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 servicemen to southern Russia to fight Ukrainian forces.
In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North… pic.twitter.com/4RyCfUoHoC
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 12, 2025
The soldiers, some of whom are thought to belong to Pyongyang’s special forces, were sent by Kremlin ally Kim Jong Un, arrived in the country in October 2024, and were assessed to have entered combat in early December.
Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed the deployment of troops from North Korea to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has said North Korean troops fighting in the war are carrying fake Russian military documents.
What To Know
Citing South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said about 300 North Korean troops have been killed, and a further 2,700 have been injured, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reported.
The NIS said the troops are suffering “massive casualties” in part due to the “lack of understanding of modern warfare.” South Korea’s intelligence agency said a recent battlefield video showed Pyongyang’s soldiers taking aim at long-range drones, calling it a “useless” act.
North Korean military personnel have been urged to take their own lives in order to prevent being taken hostage by Ukraine’s military, the NIS said.
Zelensky said Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s border region of Kursk on January 9, and that his country is willing to hand them over to free Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia.
Ukrainian intelligence said on January 11 that the two men had been taken to Kyiv “for primary investigative measures” and that they are being held “in appropriate conditions that meet the requirements of international law.”
In the video, the two men who have been taken captive speak in Korean and appear to confirm that they are professional soldiers from North Korea.
What People Are Saying
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X, formerly Twitter: “In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North Korea.
“Putin started three years ago with ultimatums to NATO and attempts to rewrite history, but now he cannot manage without military support from Pyongyang.
“Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia.
“For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available. In particular, those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity.”
Ukraine’s intelligence agency on Facebook on January 11: “The Security Service of Ukraine, which documents and investigates relevant crimes, received irrefutable evidence of the participation of [North Korea] in the Russian war against our state.
“These are two North Korean soldiers, one of whom was captured on January 9, 2025 by fighters of the tactical group No. 84 of the [Special Operations Forces], and the other by paratroopers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
What Happens Next
The release of the prisoner of war video by Zelensky is likely intended to prove to the international community that Russia is hiding the fact that its military is relying on foreign forces to fight against Ukraine in the war. Moscow is likely to continue this practice as the war enters its fourth year next month.
Ukraine’s intelligence agency said it is conducting an investigation into the participation of North Korean troops in the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un visiting the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on September 13, 2023. Ukraine and South Korea have said Pyongyang has deployed an estimated 10,000 to… Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un visiting the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on September 13, 2023. Ukraine and South Korea have said Pyongyang has deployed an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 servicemen to southern Russia to fight Ukrainian forces.
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