Wounded N. Korean soldiers died after capture by Ukraine

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec 27 that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers had died after being captured by his country's forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection".

Ukraine and its Western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia's army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow's 2022 invasion.

"Today, there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Mr Zelensky said, in an evening address posted on social media.

South Korea's spy agency said earlier on Dec 27 that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine had died of his wounds.

Mr Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops.