At least 300 North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russia's war in Ukraine were killed, and about 2700 more were wounded, reported the South Korean agency Yonhap citing the country's intelligence services.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) explains the «massive losses» of North Korean soldiers by their «misunderstanding of modern warfare», including «useless» actions such as firing at long-range drones. NIS stated that North Korea urged its soldiers to commit suicide to avoid being captured alive by Ukrainian forces.
On Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky published photos of two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. On Sunday, Zelensky released a video in which one of the soldiers says he wants to stay in Ukraine when asked if he wants to return home.
According to NIS, both soldiers served in the General Reconnaissance Bureau, a key North Korean military intelligence agency.