Summary
North Korean soldiers supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine are reportedly using suicide tactics to avoid capture, as seen in a recent incident where a soldier detonated a grenade during a Ukrainian operation.
Ukraine claims North Korea has deployed 11,000 troops, with over 3,000 killed or injured.
Defectors and analysts suggest these soldiers are brainwashed into sacrificing themselves for Kim Jong Un and fear being labeled traitors if captured.
Kyiv has offered to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainians held in Russia.
Experts warn this deployment may enhance North Korea’s future military capabilities.
It’s not something that anyone should strive for. but asking your troops to trust someone who is claiming to surrender given the fact (?) that this has happened is asking a lot of them in a life or death situation. No one wins no matter what you choose here, but it’s war. That’s not exactly surprising.
Which doesn’t mean “take no prisoners”.