Ukraine captures two North Korean soldiers in Kursk, Zelenskiy says

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Heiko Becker

(Reuters) -Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday, the first time Ukraine has announced the capture of North Korean soldiers alive since their entry into the war last autumn.

North Korean regular troops entered the war on Russia's side in October, according to Kyiv and its western allies, who initially estimated their numbers at 10,000 or more.