Two North Korean soldiers reportedly died after going on a drinking binge in Russia, in the latest disaster involvoing Kim Jong un’s forces.
Pyongyang has sent around 12,000 troops to Russia in a bid to boost the ranks of Vladimir Putin’s army, which continues to suffer immense casualties.
Some 11,000 North Koreans are reported to be active on the Kursk front, as the Kremlin’s generals attempt to take back territory seized by Kyiv in August.
However, Pyongyang’s troops have been involved in a number of embarrassing incidents that have hit the headlines.
The Financial Times recently reported that the North Koreans were gorging on online pornography, as they took full advantage of unfettered access to the internet.
And now it appears that Kim’s soldiers also have a particularly liking for alcohol.
A military report allegedly written by the deputy commander of Russia’s 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade confirmed the death of two North Koreans after consuming large quantities of alcohol.
According to the unverified document circulating on social media, after lights-out, the men consumed “alcohol-containing substances, including alcohol swipes from a soldier’s personal aid kit and antiseptics.”
Both soldiers were found “with no signs of life” the following morning at 6am in their barracks.
The Kremlin has deployed some 50,000 Russian and North Korean troops to the Kursk region, as its army attempts to drive Ukrainian forces off its territory.
A Ukrainian commander confirmed on Monday that North Koreans were involved in direct combat operations in Kursk.
They were also carrying out defensive duties in the neighbouring Belgorod region and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
“Mostly, the tasks are defined as the second echelon of defence. In the Kursk region, these are direct combat operations,” he told CNN.
“These groups will be directly involved in combat operations in the short term on the territory of Ukraine.
“They are highly likely to emerge in the occupied territories of Ukraine as well.”
