North Korean POWs in Kyiv: Ukraine’s FM calls for maximum pressure on Moscow and Pyongyang

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has commented on the unprecedented capture of North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region, who have been transported to Kyiv for questioning.

“The first North Korean prisoners of war are now in Kyiv. These are regular D​PRK military forces, not mercenaries, waging an aggressive war against a European country. This directly impacts the security of both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. We need maximum pressure on the regimes in Moscow and Pyongyang,” Sybiha stated on social media.

This development follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement that Ukrainian Defense Forces had captured two North Korean soldiers. The captives are currently being interviewed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Special Operations Forces’ Tactical Group 84 conducted the operation in Russia’s Kursk region, successfully extracting the wounded soldiers despite significant challenges.

“This was not an easy task,” Zelenskyy explained, noting that Russian and North Korean forces typically eliminate their wounded to conceal evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war. The captured soldiers are receiving necessary medical treatment, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian intelligence sources previously reported that North Korean military units first appeared in the Russia-Ukraine war zone in October, with approximately 12,000 personnel deployed. The presence of North Korean troops has drawn sharp criticism from the international community, with NATO condemning the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as a dangerous escalation that violates UN Security Council resolutions.

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