KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said North Korea has decided to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 troops to Russia, a claim that would represent a substantial expansion of Pyongyang's military involvement in Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Zelenskiy made the statement on Saturday in a post on X, saying the decision had been made to deploy the North Korean personnel on Russian territory. He did not provide details on the sources of the intelligence behind the estimate.
The figure is higher than the 30,000 additional North Korean troops Zelenskiy said in July were being prepared for deployment. At that time, he said Russia had been preparing facilities in the Voronezh region to receive the forces. South Korea's foreign ministry subsequently said it was monitoring military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
North Korea has already provided military support to Russia. Ukraine and Western governments have said Pyongyang sent troops to Russia's Kursk region in 2024 to help Moscow repel a Ukrainian incursion. Reuters reported that an estimated 14,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to the region.
Zelenskiy also said Ukraine had found North Korean missiles on its territory, without specifying where. He warned that Pyongyang was gaining experience in modern warfare and obtaining military technology through its cooperation with Russia.
“It is absolutely clear that North Korea will continue to build its experience in modern warfare,” Zelenskiy said, according to Reuters.
He called on South Korea to increase cooperation with Ukraine, particularly in air defense, saying Kyiv faced shortages in that area. Zelenskiy also said Ukraine was prepared to cooperate with Seoul on drones and other defense technologies.
The developing military partnership follows a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024. The agreement includes a mutual-assistance provision if either country faces external aggression. North Korea has described its military involvement as assistance to a treaty partner.
Ukraine's military intelligence also told Reuters this month that a North Korean missile unit had begun deploying to western Russia and could be equipped with as many as 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers. North Korea has additionally been accused by Ukraine and independent assessments of supplying Russia with large quantities of artillery ammunition and other weapons.
North Korea's embassy in Russia did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while South Korea's foreign ministry also did not immediately respond.
