A North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces from Kursk has revealed the details of how they ended up in Russia with no knowledge of who they would be fighting against.
A video posted by Ukraine on Monday shows a North Korean soldier answering questions from Ukrainian intelligence officers via a translator. To the questions from Ukrainian authorities, the soldier said he arrived in Russia along with around 100 fellow North Koreans by ship. They were later transported by train.
On the training process, the soldier said while some of his compatriots received training to operate heavy Russian military equipment, he did not.
The soldier, whose identity is not clear, said he joined the North Korean army at the age of 17 as a conscript. He claimed he had no idea he would be sent to fight in Russia, adding that his family had no information about his whereabouts.
On whether the North Korean army lost soldiers, he said, "There were many casualties in the battles".
The soldiers said he had "very little" information about the world outside North Korea.
On whether he knew anything about South Korea, the soldier replied: "All I know is that South Korea has fewer mountains than North Korea."
The soldier is likely one of two North Korean military personnel captured by Ukraine from Kursk Oblast on January 11. Though Russia has never confirmed the presence of North Korean soldiers, Ukraine has released a video showing their operatives capturing and transporting a North Korean soldier.
There are also allegations that the Kremlin was issuing identity cars in the name of a real person from Russian republics for the North Korean soldiers. The Ukrainian soldiers discovered an idea of a person from the Russian republic of Tyva (Tuva).
According to reports, Ukraine has formed a special unit to capture North Korean soldiers.