Ukrainian forces discovered and retrieved military equipment, documents, and a 2G Samsung mobile phone from the possessions of North Korean soldiers who were killed while fighting on the side of Russia, reports NK News on January 29 confirmed.
A North Korea-focused news source reported that Ukraine's special forces clashed with North Korean troops in Kursk, western Russia. In the resulting combat, two North Korean soldiers were reportedly killed, and Ukrainian forces seized what appeared to be operational plans, as well as communication devices and various documents.
Photographs furnished by Ukraine’s special forces displayed the soldiers' belongings, including military equipment. According to NK News, the North Korean troops were carrying an AK-12 assault rifle equipped with a 1PN139-1 thermal scope, a 1P87 optical sight, and a DL-5 rangefinder. The outlet observed that the soldiers seemed well-equipped.
Additional items retrieved included identification documents, notes and papers, and a mobile phone. The 2G phone, bearing a Samsung logo in English, was notable. A document, designed for use in combat situations, featured Korean phrases such as "Seot" (a misspelling of "Seo," meaning "halt"), "Sondeu-reot" ("show hands"), "Surrender and you will live," "Remove your belt," and "What are the drone launch sites?" alongside their Ukrainian translations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has estimated that Russia has mobilized approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers to the front lines. As of mid-January, nearly 4,000 of them had been either killed or wounded, with around 1,000 suffering fatal injuries.
According to Ukrainian news source Evocation Info, four North Korean military units—designated the 91st through 94th brigades—have been stationed across the northern and eastern regions of Kursk.
Troops from North Korea, reportedly part of the elite "Storm Corps," have been sent into battle without proper training in modern warfare, nor sufficient support from Russian artillery and ammunition, the report further stated.