Photofake about the first dead soldier from the DPRK in the Russian-Ukrainian war

A photo circulating on social media over the past two days allegedly shows the first North Korean soldier killed in the russian-Ukrainian war, with his passport in Korean displayed as proof. 

The image was shared by public figure and soldier Oleksandr Aronets, who noted:

“It looks like we here see the first losses of the North Korean army in the russian-Ukrainian war.” His post, also translated into English, garnered nearly a thousand likes and over seven hundred shares.

However, the image is a fake.

• Signs of editing are visible even to the naked eye: 
• the outline of the index finger on the passport appears irregular, with noticeable pixelation along the edges;
• similar pixel inconsistencies are visible around the document itself.

For further evidence, see the infographic below.

Discussing the participation of North Korean soldiers in the war definitely serves Ukraine’s interests. However, one edited photo risks discrediting such critical information.

If the first casualties appear on record, photographs of their entire faces – and not just half of the face — will likely be shown, along with every page of their documents. Their real names, personal data, and details surrounding their deaths will also be revealed. 

As it stands, however, none of this evidence exists, and the source of the information remains unknown. This seems to be an instance of wishful thinking, or perhaps a joke that some users took literally and began to spread as fact. 

It’s unclear who initially posted the photo; it’s possible it was even shared by russian sources, who would have multiple reasons for doing so. 

This tactic allows the russian occupation forces to blur reality. When credible evidence of North Korean casualties eventually comes from Ukraine, it risks not being taken seriously. Skeptics may then claim that Ukraine lied in the past, so why believe them now? 

Of course, we don’t really care about russia lying yet again, but people in other countries may listen to them. Moreover, this isn’t the first instance of fake news about North Korean troops.

As a reminder, Ukrainian intelligence (HUR) indicates that around 7,000 DPRK soldiers are stationed on russia’s border with Ukraine [1]. However, reports of the first casualties or prisoners among them have not yet been confirmed. Given that Ukrainian intelligence closely monitors North Korean troop activity, the first confirmed clashes and casualties will likely come through official channels, with interviews of captured prisoners released promptly — much like the handling of the first russian conscripts captured in the Kursk Region.

Therefore, it’s important to rely on official sources, stay alert to details, and question anonymous posts without verified sources, especially on sensitive topics such as the first North Korean deaths in this war

Prepared by Dmytro Filipchuk.