Russia-Ukraine war: North Korea ‘asks’ its troops to end their lives to avoid capture; fatalities touch 300

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (centre) meets soldiers who took part in a training in North Korea. (File picture used for representational image only.) | Photo Credit: AP

“North Korean troop fatalities and injuries in Ukraine have likely exceeded 3,000, including around 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries,” a South Korean lawmaker briefed by the country’s spy agency said on Monday (January 13, 2025.)

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“North Korean authorities appear to have called for its troops to end their lives by blowing themselves up to evade capture,” the lawmaker said citing the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

“Captured North Korean soldiers had not shown an intention to come to South Korea, though South Korea would cooperate with Ukraine if there was a request,” Yonhap news agency also reported, citing NIS.

Published – January 13, 2025 11:02 am IST