Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that Ukraine is prepared to return two North Korean soldiers, who were captured during conflict, back to North Korea in exchange for Ukrainian servicemen held by Russia.

Zelenskyy mentioned in a video message, “If Kim Jong Un is even aware of these individuals and is able to facilitate an exchange for our troops in Russia, we are open to sending them back.”

He also suggested that North Korean soldiers who do not wish to go back might have “other pathways” if they are inclined to help “bring peace closer by sharing the truth about this conflict in Korean,” as per a social media update from Zelenskyy.

An unverified video shared by Zelenskyy appeared to show an interrogation involving the two injured North Korean soldiers. One of them expressed a desire to continue living in Ukraine but said he would go back if needed, according to a translator present in the video.

When questioned if he was aware of his location and that he had been engaged in a war against Ukraine, the soldier shook his head. He mentioned that he was involved in an offensive on January 3 but sought shelter in a dugout upon witnessing the deaths of other soldiers, leading to his capture two days later, as translated in the video.

The second North Korean soldier reportedly could not speak due to a jaw injury. In the video, he appeared with a swollen lip and a bandage on his head, shaking his head “no” when asked if his family was aware of his whereabouts.

South Korea reports heavy casualties among North Korean troops

These two soldiers mark the first known North Koreans fighting for Russia that Ukraine claims to have captured alive. They were taken in the Kursk region of Russia, which borders areas currently held by Ukrainian forces, as stated by Zelenskyy.

Early reports indicated that North Korean soldiers were set to join the fight alongside Russia in the fall. By late October, the U.S. had intelligence indicating that thousands of North Korean troops had arrived in Kursk after being sent to training facilities in Russia’s far east.

According to a South Korean lawmaker briefed by the country’s intelligence services, nearly 300 North Korean soldiers have been reported killed, while 2,700 have sustained injuries in the conflict as of Monday.

Lee Seong-kweun, a member of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee, shared that documents retrieved from fallen North Korean soldiers suggested that their military leaders had “stressed self-destruction and suicide before being captured,” and that soldiers have a vague expectation of receiving pardons or membership in North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party for fighting on Russia’s behalf.

If North Korean soldiers are interested in defecting to South Korea, the country has expressed readiness to collaborate with Ukraine, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Contributing: Reuters