One of the two North Korean soldiers arrested by Ukraine refuses to return to his country

MADRID Jan 12 () –

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported this Sunday that one of the two North Korean soldiers arrested while fighting on the Russian side has expressed his willingness to stay in Ukraine and not return to Korea.

“The Ukrainian Security Service continues to work with North Korean prisoners of war. One of them has expressed his desire to stay in Ukraine. The second wants to return to Korea,” Zelensky explained in his usual daily afternoon message.

Zelensky has raised the possibility of agreeing with the North Korean leader on an exchange for Ukrainian soldiers held in Russia. “If Kim Jong Un even remembers these citizens of his and is able to organize an exchange for our fighters held in Russia, we are willing to hand over these soldiers,” he said.

“There is no doubt that there will be more North Korean prisoners of war. I am grateful to all our units who are contributing to the Ukrainian exchange fund,” he added.

Zelensky himself announced on Saturday the capture of North Korean soldiers in the Russian Kursk region, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have launched a strategic ground offensive on Russian soil in response to Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky has also referred to the situation in Moldova and specifically to the “humanitarian crisis in Transnistria.” “There is a gap in energy supplies due to Russia’s deliberate actions,” Zelensky said.

These “calculated actions by Russia” seek to “demoralize Moldova before the elections,” according to Zelensky, who criticizes the lack of a response from the separatist authorities of Transnistria. “If they are in the hands of Russia, that is one thing, but it would be completely different if they genuinely want to help the people of Transnistria. We are willing on our part,” he stressed.

The authorities of the self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria have declared a state of emergency due to the drastic reduction in the supply of natural gas by decision of the Ukrainian Government.

The decision largely affects Moldova, but also European countries such as Austria, Slovakia, Italy and the Czech Republic, among others. However, the Transnistria region has been especially affected by the suspension of gas supplies in the middle of winter and with temperatures below 0ºC.