Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered a prisoner swap for captured North Korean soldiers, as the situation in Russia’s Kursk region continues to escalate. The claim comes after purported video footage of two wounded North Korean prisoners was shared by Zelenskyy on social media.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine will help captured soldiers who agree to work with Kyiv. He predicts that his nation’s forces will “undoubtedly” capture more North Korean troops. Estimates suggest that up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia to support Moscow in retaking parts of Kursk Oblast seized by Ukrainian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has relied heavily on military assistance from North Korea, with Zelenskyy stating that “there should be no doubt left in the world” about this dependence. Ukraine is willing to hand over captured soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for their own captives being released.
The death toll among North Korean soldiers is rising, with reports suggesting that at least 300 have been killed and 2,700 injured since their deployment to Russia. Ukrainian forces claim to have killed an additional 17 North Korean soldiers in Kursk, including one who attempted to detonate a grenade amidst Ukrainian forces.
The situation remains volatile, with Zelenskyy offering hope for those North Korean soldiers who wish to spread truth about the war and promote peace. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has refused to comment on the proposal for a prisoner swap.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/ukraine-claims-north-korean-soldiers-killed-zelenskyy-offers/story?id=117614352