Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Monday that North Korea is preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops to Russia to support its ongoing war against Ukraine.
Citing new intelligence data Zelenskiy stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the personnel are currently being selected for training before being transferred to Russian territory. He added that over 8,000 North Korean soldiers are already stationed in Russia.
Ukrainian and South Korean estimates indicate Pyongyang has deployed between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to Russia since 2024. Most of these forces have been stationed in the Kursk region to counter Ukrainian military incursions. Beyond troop deployments, North Korea has supplied Moscow with millions of artillery rounds, mortar shells, ballistic missiles and long-range rocket systems.
Zelenskiy renewed calls for international support particularly asking South Korea to provide air defense assistance. While Seoul delivered a $100 million non-lethal aid package to Kyiv in July, recent diplomatic tension has emerged between the two nations over the public disclosure of two captured North Korean soldiers transferred to South Korea.
Seoul expressed regret over Ukraine's public announcement regarding the transfer also stating both sides had previously agreed to keep the matter confidential. Despite the diplomatic friction both nations remain aligned in monitoring expanding military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
