Zelensky shares video of Russian soldier 'burning body of North Korean to conceal identity'

Volodymyr Zelensky uploaded the shocking footage to his Telegram account showing what appeared to be a partially burning North Korean corpse on the battlefield

Volodymyr Zelensky has shared a video reportedly showing a Russian solider burning the body of a North Korean solider to help "conceal their identity".

The Ukrainian President, who uploaded the footage to his Telegram account, said it appeared to show Russians partially burning a North Korean corpse. The 30-second video also shows a close-up of a suspected North Korean solider in combat, while a person in the background can be heard saying: "Tell him to put on a mask. Put the mask on."

Zelensky has slammed Russia's decision for sending North Korean troops to fight against Ukraine and for trying to conceal their idenity. "Russia not only sends the North Korean troops to storm Ukrainian positions, but also tries to conceal losses of these people," he said.

"And now, after first combats with our warriors, Russians are trying… to literally burn the faces of North Korean soldiers killed in battle."

It comes as Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said around 30 North Korean troops were killed or wounded during battle with the Ukrainian army over the weekend.

The casualties occurred around three villages in Kursk, where Russia has for four months been trying to quash a Ukrainian incursion, the agency, known by its acronym GUR, said in a public post on the Telegram messaging app. At least three North Korean servicemen went missing around another Kursk village, GUR said.

The White House also said it now believes North Korean troops are on the “front lines” of Russia’s war and are “actively engaged in combat operations” against Ukraine.

National security spokesman John Kirby confirmed the assessment Monday after Ukraine’s government said North Korean troops had moved from support roles into direct fighting on behalf of Russia. Kirby said North Korean troops are taking casualties in the fighting and promised a strong U.S. and allied sanctions response to North Korea.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that some North Korean troops have died in combat in Kursk but did not have a specific number of those killed or wounded. Those troops have primarily been used in an infantry role and started fighting in combat operations about a week ago, Ryder said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred questions to the Russian Defense Ministry, which didn’t immediately comment.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged unwavering support for Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour under a mutual defence pact. The alliance gave a jolt to international relations, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the planned deployment of U.S. intermediate-range missiles to Europe and Asia has brought new threats.

“In view of rising geopolitical tensions, we must take additional measures to ensure the security of Russia and our allies,” Putin told a meeting with top military brass. “We are doing it accurately and in a balanced way to avoid being drawn into a full-scale arms race.”