North Korean soldiers reveal deception in Ukraine conflict
According to the UNITED24 Media service connected with the authorities in Kyiv, North Korean prisoners captured in January by the Ukrainian army have given their first media interview. They admitted that they were unaware of the true reason for being sent to Russia's Kursk region and also weren't properly trained. As a result, the realities of the Ukrainian-Russian war took them by surprise.
Findings from Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence indicate that up until now, around 12,000 soldiers from North Korea have been sent to the Kursk region in Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in February that despite suffering losses of about 4,000, Kim Jong Un's army continues to fight against Ukrainians and may soon receive reinforcements.
Ukrainian military commanders noted that sometimes the North Koreans could surprise with better equipment than the Russian soldiers, but overall they were not properly prepared. The realities of the ongoing war, especially the heavy use of artillery and drones, proved to be a major challenge for them. It wasn’t until February that it was observed that North Korean soldiers changed tactics in response to significant losses.
North Korean prisoners admit they were deceived
The UNITED24 Media reports that North Korean prisoners were interviewed by journalists from the South Korean newspaper "Chosun Ilbo". Their statements confirm earlier observations by Ukrainians.
"We received basic training, but there was no specific strategy for drone warfare. Our training emphasised speed—running, hiding, or shooting drones from the ground. We never learned how to take them down effectively," said one of the prisoners.
Kim Jong Un's army defeated by drones
The captured North Korean soldiers were unaware that they would be fighting Ukraine. They were led to believe they were being sent to Russia for exercises and were later told that the pilots of Ukrainian drones were soldiers of the South Korean army.
The war in Ukraine is aptly referred to as the "drone war". Various types of drones are being used extensively. Among the Ukrainians, there are not only Western drones designed for military use (e.g., Turkish Bayraktar TB2 or Polish FlyEye), but also small FPV (first-person view) drones. These are primarily the ones the North Koreans fighting in the Kursk region encounter. These commercial drones are equipped with cameras and modified for military purposes by adding explosives or grenades. They can serve as kamikaze weapons or drop grenades or bombs on the enemy from above.
"All my comrades died, I was the only survivor... I might have committed suicide if I had a grenade. In our army, being captured is seen as betrayal," added one of the North Korean prisoners, noting that he plans to apply for asylum and move to South Korea.
