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Kim praises North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up to evade Ukraine capture
TL;DR
Kim Jong-un has praised North Korean soldiers who committed suicide to avoid capture by Ukrainian forces, confirming a policy of self-detonation. This acknowledgment follows reports of over 6,000 North Korean casualties in the conflict.
Key points
- Kim Jong-un praised soldiers who self-detonated to avoid capture
- North Korea sent about 14,000 troops to fight in Ukraine
- More than 6,000 North Koreans were killed in the conflict
Mentioned in this story
Kim Jong-unNorth KoreaUkraineKursk
Kim Jong-un has praised North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up with grenades in order to avoid capture while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s western Kursk region, confirming the existence of the extreme battlefield policy.
Mounting evidence, including from intelligence reports and testimonies of defectors, has indicated North Korean soldiers are explicitly told to resort to self-detonation or other forms of suicide to avoid falling into enemy hands.
In 2024, North Korea sent about 14,000 elite troops to join Russia’s war against Ukraine. The soldiers were sent into battle around the border town of Sudzha, which Ukrainian forces captured that summer in a surprise mini counter-invasion. According to South Korean and Ukrainian officials, more than 6,000 North Koreans were killed in intense fighting.
Two North Koreans were captured and are being held as prisoners of war in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Both had tried to blew themselves up but had been unable to do so because of their severe injuries. One of them has expressed guilt at his failure to carry out orders, it is understood.
In a speech addressing Russian officials and bereaved families at the completion ceremony for a memorial honouring North Korean soldiers, Kim mentioned for the first time the lengths to which troops had gone, praising them as heroes, according to a transcript published by the North Korean state news agency KCNA on Monday.
“It is not only the heroes who unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction and suicide to defend great honour, but also those who fell while charging at the forefront of assault battles,” he said.
Kim praised ‘the heroes who unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction’. Photograph: KCNA/Reuters
Kim said those who survived were also patriots. “Those who writhed in frustration at failing to fulfil their duty as soldiers rather than suffering the agony of their bodies being torn apart by bullets and shells … these too can be called the party’s loyal warriors and patriots.”
Q&A
What did Kim Jong-un say about North Korean soldiers in Ukraine?
Kim Jong-un praised North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up to avoid capture, calling them heroes in a recent speech.
How many North Korean soldiers were sent to fight in Ukraine?
Approximately 14,000 elite North Korean troops were sent to join Russia's war against Ukraine in 2024.
What happened to the North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine?
Reports indicate that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers were killed in combat, with two captured and held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
