“Ukrainian Media: False Information on Social Media Causing Confusion”
International Civil Watchdog on Russia: “Even if Facts Emerge Later, People May Not Believe Them”
As the international community’s concerns grow about North Korea sending troops to support Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, fake news and unclear information relating to North Korean troop deployment are spreading.
On the 4th (local time), according to Ukraine’s daily Kyiv Post, a user on X (formerly Twitter), using the name “Intelligence Front”, posted two videos on their account, one lasting a minute and the other 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
The user claimed, “A North Korean soldier who arrived in Ukraine to fight for Russia is surprised by the variety and abundance of food provided. He says, ‘I’m eating on the battlefield. Look at this meat. It’s a big beef and instant noodles.'”
This user described themselves as an “independent observer” sourcing information from open-source intelligence (OSINT) on their X profile.
However, Kyiv Post noted that the videos the user posted likely feature a soldier from China, not North Korea.
Kyiv Post stated, “Our fact-checking shows that the man is speaking in Chinese, not Korean,” adding, “He is Chinese and is merely explaining what he is eating.”
Given the Russian conversations audible in the background, the claim that the man is on the frontlines in or around Ukraine might be true, but he is not a North Korean soldier deployed by Russia.
The media outlet also emphasized that since accessing smartphones or social media is not possible in North Korea, the claim that this man could be a North Korean fluent in Chinese is highly improbable.
Kyiv Post did not confirm the video’s original source but suggested it likely started being shared on Chinese social media, noting that some Chinese mercenaries associated with the Russian military frequently upload videos detailing their experiences.
A video purportedly featuring a North Korean soldier who survived after all his comrades had perished had drawn significant attention on a pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel but remains unverified.
Last month, there was also a claim by a Chinese-origin Russian mercenary that eight North Korean officers were killed on their first day at the Ukrainian front line, but no evidence was provided to support this claim, Kyiv Post added.
The international civic group “InformNapalm,” which has been monitoring Russian military activities since the forced annexation of Crimea in 2014, warned that the rampant spread of false information about North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia could harm Ukraine.
In a Telegram post on the 3rd, the group stated, “About 15 people over the past two days have sent photos claiming to show North Korean troops in Russian uniforms with military identification, saying these were from ‘the first North Korean casualty.'” They criticized public figures for spreading such falsehoods as “first North Korean deaths.”
“Such exaggerated propaganda is not only unhelpful but obstructive,” the group stated, criticizing that those creating false information either do not understand the potential harm or are deliberately attempting to obscure the truth if real facts emerge later.