Kim Jong Un Commends Soldiers Who ‘Self-Blasted’ To Avoid Capture In Ukraine War

By Sabiu Abdullahi

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has applauded soldiers who took their own lives during combat in Ukraine, where they were fighting alongside Russian forces. His remarks appear to confirm reports that such actions were encouraged to prevent capture.

Speaking at a ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim described those who “unhesitatingly opted for self-blasting, suicide attack, in order to defend the great honour” as “heroes”.

Estimates from South Korea indicate that about 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia’s efforts in the western Kursk region. Reports suggest that more than 6,000 of them have died, although neither North Korea nor Russia has officially verified these figures.

For some time, intelligence sources and defectors have claimed that Pyongyang instructed its soldiers to avoid being taken prisoner, even if it meant ending their own lives.

During the event on Monday, Kim praised what he called unwavering loyalty among the troops. “Their self-sacrifice expecting no compensation, and the devotion expecting no reward… This [is] the definition of the height of loyalty of our army,” he said.

The ceremony marked the unveiling of a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers who died in the conflict. Among those present were Russia’s Defence Minister Andrey Belousov and the speaker of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin.

In North Korea, military doctrine treats capture as a serious betrayal.

Earlier this year, a South Korean broadcaster aired footage of two captured North Korean soldiers in Ukraine. One of them expressed regret for not ending his life. “Everyone else blew themselves up. I failed,” the prisoner said.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service had earlier reported that notes recovered from fallen North Korean troops suggested adherence to this extreme practice.

Kim also honoured those who died in battle, including fighters who were unable to complete their assigned missions. “Those who fell in the vanguard of charges and those who writhed in frustration at the failure to fulfill their duties as soldiers who were given orders, rather than in pain in their bodies torn by bullets and shells – they too can be called the party’s faithful warriors and patriots,” he stated.

In June 2024, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement that commits both nations to support each other in the event of “aggression”. At the time, Kim described the pact as the “strongest ever”.

Apart from deploying troops, North Korea has also pledged to send thousands of workers to assist in reconstruction efforts in the Kursk region.