After a battle in Russia’s snow-laden Kursk region, Ukrainian troops discovered the bodies of over a dozen slain North Korean soldiers. However, as they approached a wounded survivor, he detonated a grenade, killing himself.
The Ukrainian special operations forces shared this harrowing account on social media, pointing out that their personnel emerged unscathed, news agency Reuters reported.
There has been mounting evidence of North Korean soldiers adopting extreme measures while supporting Russia in its prolonged war against Ukraine. Intelligence reports and testimonies from defectors paint a grim picture of their battlefield tactics.
Kim, a 32-year-old former North Korean soldier who defected to South Korea in 2022, shed light on the mindset of these troops. “Self-detonation and suicides: that’s the reality about North Korea,” he said. Kim, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his family in the North, revealed that these soldiers are indoctrinated to exhibit unwavering loyalty to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “They are ready to sacrifice themselves without hesitation,” he added.
According to Ukrainian and Western intelligence, North Korea has deployed approximately 11,000 soldiers to assist Moscow’s forces in the Kursk region, a territory Ukraine briefly reclaimed during a surprise incursion last year. Ukrainian authorities estimate that over 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed or injured in the conflict.
The deployment of North Korean forces marks their most significant participation in a foreign war since the Korean War (1950-53). While smaller contingents were sent to Vietnam and Syria in the past, this current involvement has drawn international scrutiny. The United States has expressed concerns, warning that this wartime experience could bolster North Korea’s military capabilities against its neighbors.
Initially, Moscow and Pyongyang dismissed reports of North Korean troop deployment as “fake news.” However, Russian President Vladimir Putin later refrained from denying the presence of North Korean soldiers.
North Korean state media has long glorified its military might. In 2023, propaganda videos showcased soldiers undergoing rigorous winter training, including running across snowy fields, diving into frozen lakes, and breaking blocks of ice.