Ashley Elizabeth Miller

As talks between Trump and Putin —to end Russia’s war on Ukraine —go on longer than what the U.S. president might like to see, it appears North Korea is still supplying men to the frontlines in support of the Kremlin.

In its latest export of bodies, North Korea sent 3,000 soldiers (as is well known, many of them are not well trained) between January and February this year. In total, NK has sent 11,000 men, and about 4,000 have died.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal published an exclusive story on two North Korean soldiers who had been captured by Ukrainian soldiers — alive. In it, the men reveal how neither knew what they were getting into when they were forced to come to Russia. But they were given strict instructions before battle–if you’re captured, kill yourself.

One quote from the story really stuck with me. On meeting people in Ukraine after being captured, one said:

“I thought foreigners would be very different from us North Koreans. Maybe even weird… Having seen them here, I see there’s nothing different between them and us. They’re all good people.”

If only more world leaders would read the news.