SBU reveals findings from interrogations of North Korean soldiers captured in Kursk Oblast

Two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces have been provided medical care and are being held in Kyiv, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported. The first was captured on Jan. 9 in Kursk Oblast by the 84th Tactical Group of Special Operations Forces, and the second by Ukrainian paratroopers. Both are reportedly being interrogated with the help of translators and South Korean intelligence, as they do not speak Ukrainian, English, or Russian.

One captive carried a Russian military ID identifying him as a Tuva resident, while the other had no documents. The soldiers, aged 19 and 25, claimed they went to Russia for training, not to participate in the war. One served as a rifleman in the North Korean army since 2021, and the other was a sniper-reconnaissance soldier since 2016.

The SBU stated that DPRK units briefly coordinated with Russian occupation forces in fall 2024, providing evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war. Investigations continue under Article 437 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which addresses planning and waging aggressive war.

Earlier on Jan. 11, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed details of the captives, showing photos, documents, and their conditions in Kyiv.