A North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine reportedly arrived in Russia without knowing who he was fighting against and stated that his mother was unaware of his deployment. On the 20th (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released an additional video on X (formerly Twitter) of an interrogation of a North Korean soldier prisoner, which lasts 5 minutes and 30 seconds. In the video, the North Korean soldier, lying on a bed, listens to and responds to questions from a Ukrainian security officer through a Korean interpreter.
The soldier in the video was captured by Ukrainian forces in Kursk, western Russia, and is one of the two North Korean soldiers President Zelensky revealed on the 12th. He identified his unit as the “2nd Battalion, 1st Company of the Reconnaissance Bureau.”
The soldier explained that he arrived in Russia from North Korea by ship and then traveled by train over land. There were just over 100 North Korean soldiers aboard the ship, and the same number boarded the train. The soldier said, “Even coming out here, I didn’t know I was going to Russia, nor did I know that our enemy was Ukrainians.”
He also stated that although some were selected to learn to use Russian weapons and equipment, he personally did not receive such training. When asked about the North Korean military’s losses, he replied, “Although there were many among my colleagues who came together, I do not know how many there were in total.” When asked if his mother was aware of his deployment in Russia, he answered “no.”
President Zelensky, along with the video, also posted a message in Korean stating that communication is ongoing between the captured North Korean soldier and the Ukrainian security officer. He emphasized that the statements of the prisoners confirm that such soldiers are moved and trained in Russia, with all information completely severed, and expressed that all facts about North Korea’s involvement in the war will be verified.