North Korean prisoners reveal deception in Russian deployment
As reported by the Kyiv government-affiliated service UNITED24 Media, North Korean prisoners captured in January by the Ukrainian army have given their first interview to the media. They admitted they were unaware of the true reason for being sent to the Kursk region in Russia and were not properly trained. Consequently, the realities of the Ukrainian-Russian war were very surprising to them.
According to findings by Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence, about 12,000 soldiers from North Korea have been deployed to the Kursk region in Russia so far. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that despite losses amounting to about 4,000, Kim Jong Un's army is still fighting against Ukrainians, and it is possible that reinforcements may arrive soon.
Ukrainian military commanders emphasized that the North Koreans sometimes managed to surprise with equipment better than what Russian soldiers use, but generally, they were not adequately prepared for combat. The ongoing war's realities, especially the mass use of artillery and drones, posed significant challenges for them. It wasn't until February that it was noticed that North Korean soldiers changed tactics in response to heavy losses.
North Korean prisoners admit they were deceived
UNITED24 Media reports that North Korean prisoners gave an interview to journalists from the South Korean daily "Chosun Ilbo." Their statements only 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 did not know they would be fighting against Ukraine. They were falsely informed that they were being sent to Russia for exercises and that South Korean army soldiers would be piloting Ukrainian drones.
The war in Ukraine is aptly called "the drone war." Various types of unmanned aircraft are used on a very large scale. Among Ukrainians, you can find not only Western-made drones prepared for military purposes (e.g., Turkish Bayraktar TB2 or Polish FlyEye) but also small FPV (first-person view) drones. These are primarily what the North Koreans fighting in the Kursk region are dealing with. These are commercial drones with built-in cameras modified for military use by adding explosives or grenades or bombs. 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 intends to seek asylum and move to South Korea. His request may be accepted, as South Korea has already declared that it is ready to accept any North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces who expresses such a desire.
