‘They will just die uselessly’: Ukrainians ready for North Korean troops joining Russia’s war

Newly mobilised Ukrainian soldiers on their way to the frontline and Russia's Kursk region. One soldier, Ivan, (far left), said the war there would be his first experience of battle. Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian

Vitalii Ovcharenko, a Ukrainian soldier, has been learning a new language: Korean. “I’ve picked up a few phrases. They are: ‘Hands up, drop your weapon and come to us slowly,’” he said. “Also: ‘Throw off your body armour and helmet.’”

Ovcharenko has been mugging up with the help of a three-page printed guide. It lists words in Ukrainian, their Korean equivalent, and a helpful transliteration.