Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready to hand over captured North Korean soldiers to their leader Kim Jong-un if he can facilitate their exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia.
"In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It's only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others," Mr Zelensky said on X.
He said Ukraine had taken two North Koreans prisoner in Russia's Kursk region, the first time Ukraine has announced the capture of North Korean soldiers alive since their entry into the nearly three-year-old war last autumn.
The Kremlin declined to comment on Kyiv's claims.
"We cannot comment in any way, we do not know what is true there," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"We continue to discuss the possibility of exchanges, which is not easy work... but for us the life of every Russian soldier is important," Mr Peskov added.
Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 troops from Russia's ally North Korea have been deployed in the Kursk region to support Russia's forces.
Russia has neither confirmed nor denied their presence.
Mr Zelensky has said Russian and North Korean forces had suffered heavy losses.
"Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong-un's soldiers to him if he can organise their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia," Mr Zelensky said.
He posted a short video showing the interrogation of two men who are presented as North Korean soldiers. One of them was shown lying on a bed with bandaged hands, the other was sitting with a bandage on his jaw.
One of the men said through an interpreter that he did not know he was fighting against Ukraine and had been told he was on a training exercise.
He said he hid in a shelter during the offensive and was found a couple of days later. He said that if he was ordered to return to North Korea, he would, but that he was ready to stay in Ukraine if given the chance.
Reuters could not verify the video.
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"One of them (soldiers) expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine, the other to return to Korea," Mr Zelensky said in a televised statement.
Mr Zelensky said that for North Korean soldiers who did not wish to return home, there may be other options available and "those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in the Korean (language) will be given that opportunity".
Mr Zelensky provided no specific details.
A South Korean politician said around 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 injured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine.
"The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has reportedly expanded to include the Kursk region, with estimates suggesting that casualties...include approximately 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries," Lee Seong-kweun told reporters after a briefing from the spy agency.
