Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers alive after they were wounded while fighting for Russia, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Saturday.

Moscow's counterattack has left Ukrainian forces outstretched and demoralized, killing and wounding thousands and retaking more than 40% of the 380 square miles of Kursk Ukraine had seized.

It is Ukraine’s first confirmation it has detained North Korean troops since they were deployed last year. The move could shed light on Pyongyang’s role in the war.

It is the first time Ukraine has announced the capture of North Korean soldiers alive since their entry into the war.

Ukrainian special forces have captured two North Korean troops, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. The wounded soldiers have been transported to Kyiv for questioning by intelligence services, the Ukraine president said, in what is believed to be a first since North Korean troops entered the war on the side of Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the soldiers were captured in the western Kursk region, where Ukraine has been fighting to hold on to territory it seized last summer.

Two wounded North Korean soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war by Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. The two men are receiving "necessary medical assistance" and are in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv, according to Zelensky.

Ukrainian special forces released footage that they say shows North Korean soldiers being chased by attack drones in Russia’s Kursk region. WSJ’s Dasl Yoon explains why Kim Jong Un’s troops are suffering heavy casualties.

Ukrainian soldiers captured North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Quote: "These are two soldiers who, although they sustained injuries, survived, were taken to Kyiv and are talking to investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine.