Exclusive:
A British YouTuber who travelled to Ukraine to see the devastation caused by war for himself reveals how he was told that North Korean soldiers are just ‘sitting ducks’ with ‘no idea’ what they are doing
A Brit travelled to Ukraine to see for himself the extent of destruction caused by the war with Russian and was told stories of North Korean soldiers ‘sitting duck’ as they have ‘no idea why they are in Ukraine or who they are fighting’.
Chris Reilly, 37, travelled to Ukraine on January 31, to experience for himself what they country was like, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine coming up to three years ago.
The YouTuber from Liverpool travelled via Krakow, Poland, before getting on a 26-hour bus to Kyiv. He then headed to east Ukraine with his contact, to witness for himself, the frontlines of the current war effort. Once there, he spoke with soldiers and medics, who shared stories and things that they had witnessed.
In particular, a group of Ukrainians he spoke with told him about the North Korean soldiers that had joined Russia’s war effort. “I was told many of them didn’t even know the way – or who they are fighting,” Chris said. “I’ve been told they lack proper training and are more like sitting ducks.
“The North Koreans do not have a clue what they are doing, why they are there, who they are fighting or even what war they are fighting. They are just there – [they have] been sent to Russia, or been sent to Ukraine – and just told what to do.
“I was told a lot of them are being killed and wiped out because they are just oblivious to everything.”
Last year, North Korea deployed between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to support Russia’s war with Ukraine. A significant number were stationed in the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border. Recent reports have indicated that North Korean troops have suffered substantial casualties, with figures estimated to be around 1,000 killed or wounded.
In addition to soldiers, North Korea has also supplied Russia with weapons, including short-range ballistic missiles and artillery shells. The cooperation between Russia and North Korea has consequently raised international concerns and as the situation has evolved, more reports have emerged of North Korean forces returning to the frontlines despite experiencing heavy losses.
More recently, Ukrainian soldiers chilling stories of what they have witnessed from North Korean troops, including gnawing their own veins. Several of Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops revealed that North Korean soldiers refuse to be taken alive and instead choose to blow themselves up, with one fighter even screaming “for Kim Jong Un”, before using an explosive.
The latest report came after a senior military source, based in the city of Sumy, allowed outsiders an insight into what the North Korean troops are like. He described harrowing scenes from the frontline including how one soldier tried to bite his own wrists after being injured in the Kursk region.
The sergeant, from Pyongyang, was later named as Lee Jong Nam. The 25-year-old initially suffered from a jaw injury and reportedly said that he was the only survivor after the officers he was with all died. There was another survivor but he was put into Ukrainian custody and began to harm himself, according to the source.
They added: “When this guy was transported to Kyiv and someone from the special forces searched him, they found a small blade sewn into his pants. He was hoping to cut himself as soon as he was left alone.” It comes after a former North Korean soldier lifted the lid on the culture among troops. He previously told Reuters: “Self-detonation and suicides: that’s the reality about North Korea. These soldiers who left home for a fight there have been brainwashed and are truly ready to sacrifice themselves for Kim Jong Un.”
