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North Korean soldiers march in a military parade. (KCNA/Yonhap)

Ukrainian media reported on Monday that Russian authorities have captured and detained 18 North Korean soldiers who were dispatched to Russia along the Ukrainian war front before deserting. 

The Kyiv Independent reported, “An estimated 18 North Korean soldiers have deserted from their positions in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk oblasts near the Ukrainian border, Suspilne reported on Oct. 15, citing unnamed intelligence officials.” Suspilne is Ukraine’s public broadcaster. 

The Kyiv Post reported on the same day that the North Korean troops were found by Russian authorities 60 km away from their original location. Kursk Oblast is a region of southwest Russia that borders Ukraine. Ukrainian forces launched an offensive against the region in an attempt to take Russian territory this past August.

On Oct. 15, Suspilne, citing its intelligence sources, reported that 18 North Korean soldiers had deserted their positions in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Local media outlets reported the previous day that 18 North Korean troops in Kursk had abandoned their posts. 

Local media reported that dozens of North Korean drill sergeants and Russian troops were stationed in the Khomutovka urban locality in Kursk Oblast. Citing Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, the Kyiv Independent reported that after their training, “18 North Koreans were left in a forest in Kursk Oblast without food and instructions for several days, leading to them abandoning their post to find the Russian command on Oct. 14.” 

By Lee Jeong-yeon, staff reporter

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