North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine are resorting to extreme measures to avoid capture, including self-inflicted injuries and suicide attempts, according to Ukrainian military sources. The extraordinary lengths these troops go to prevent surrender have shocked Ukrainian forces, who describe them as highly trained and brutal.
Two captured soldiers
Since North Korea's involvement emerged in October 2024, only two soldiers have been captured alive. One, a 25-year-old sergeant named Lee Jong Nam from Pyongyang, attempted to bite his own wrists after being wounded. The other charged headfirst into a concrete telegraph pole upon realizing he was about to be captured, hoping to kill himself.
Lee, who served in a rifle reconnaissance platoon, was the sole survivor of a 20-strong platoon after an attack on January 8. All officers in his company were killed, he told interrogators.
Self-harm and hidden blades
Another captured North Korean soldier had a small blade sewn into his pants, intending to cut himself when left alone. Ukrainian sources said drone footage shows North Korean troops using grenades or shooting themselves to avoid capture. "We've never taken a Korean alive who hasn't tried to kill himself," a senior military source in Sumy told The Independent.
Ferocity and tactics
Ukrainian soldiers are stunned by the North Koreans' ferocity. "They're the best soldiers the Russians have sent against us. They are well-motivated, well-trained and brutal," the source said, noting they are used as shock troops in the Kursk region. However, their lack of field experience and poor tactics often lead to heavy losses when advancing across open ground.
Ukraine estimates around 3,000 North Korean special forces and regular soldiers have been deployed, with Western officials claiming about 1,000 killed. President Volodymyr Zelensky puts the number as high as 3,000.
No extra pay
Unlike Ukrainian soldiers who receive bonuses for captures, North Korean troops reportedly get no extra payment. They told interrogators: "We don't get any extra payments, we didn't want it; if we are successful here we will go back to North Korea as heroes." Each North Korean company of about 120 men has seven Russian soldiers embedded to give instructions.
Attacks involve 600 to 700 troops at a time, with few Russians among them. The source described this as "a mega, mega lot of troops to send on one attack."
Current situation
There are signs North Korean forces have been pulled back from front lines, possibly to regroup. Russia now has about 60,000 troops in the Kursk area, raising fears of a new invasion into Ukraine. Meanwhile, South Korea suspects North Korea is preparing to send more troops to Russia despite heavy losses.
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