Zelenskyy stated that up to 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed in Russia
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that North Korea is preparing to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 troops on the territory of Russia—an aggressor state—to support its war against Ukraine. According to him, Pyongyang has decided to send this contingent to Russia, though he did not specify whether this estimate includes North Korean troops already participating in the war.
Late last month, Zelenskyy reported that Moscow was seeking to recruit an additional 30,000 North Korean troops. He also warned that North Korea is gaining experience in modern warfare and called on South Korea to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine in the areas of air defense and drones.
Two days after these comments, the president stated that Russia had received additional North Korean ballistic missiles. According to him, they could have been used during the attack on Zaporizhzhia.
For more breaking news, follow the UA.News Telegram channel.
Russia and North Korea signed a defense treaty in the summer of 2024. According to analysts’ estimates, Pyongyang subsequently sent approximately 14,000–15,000 people to Russia, mainly to the Kursk region. Later, North Korea agreed to send another 6,000 sappers and military construction workers. South Korean intelligence estimates North Korean casualties at approximately 6,000 killed and wounded.
The Japanese news agency Kyodo, citing Ukrainian military intelligence, reported a possible increase in the DPRK contingent. According to Ukrainian sources, up to 50,000 North Korean troops could be sent to Russia by the end of November. According to this information, they could carry out missions in the Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions, which would potentially allow Russia to redeploy more of its own troops to the front lines in Ukraine.
Han Ki-bom, former deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, noted that North Korea has sufficient manpower for such a deployment without significantly weakening its own defenses. In his view, North Korean infantry could secure Russia’s rear areas, freeing up Russian troops for combat operations in Ukraine.
