North Korean soldiers captured by the Ukrainian military died from injuries sustained on the battlefield, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at a Friday press conference that multiple soldiers from the Korean People’s Army,

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council, stated that North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces are suffering heavy losses, with reports of soldiers attempting to take their own lives, according to journalist Kellie Meyer.

The North Korean army is one of the world’s largest.​ As it joins Russia’s war against Ukraine, its soldiers are paying a price for Kim Jong-un’s geopolitical maneuvers.