Zelenskyy says up to 50,000 North Korean troops to be sent to Russia, urges South Korean aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 30,000-50,000 North Korean soldiers are slated for deployment in Russia and called on South Korea for air-defence assistance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that a decision has been made to send between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops to Russian territory, a higher estimate than the 30,000 he mentioned in July. He did not specify how the information was obtained. Zelenskyy also noted that Ukrainian authorities have recovered North Korean missiles on Ukrainian soil, without revealing their locations.
"It is absolutely clear that North Korea will continue to build its experience in modern warfare, receive licenses from Russia, and receive all kinds of military tools from them," he wrote.
The president urged closer cooperation with South Korea, highlighting Ukraine's shortage of air-defence systems and expressing interest in a potential drone deal. He said Ukrainian diplomats are in contact with Seoul to discuss possible agreements.
Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty during President Vladimir Putin's June 2024 visit to Pyongyang, which includes mutual assistance if either country faces external aggression. North Korea has previously deployed an estimated 14,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region and is reported to be moving a missile unit to western Russia equipped with ballistic missiles and launchers.
Ukraine's military intelligence has indicated that North Korean forces are supplying Russia with artillery, mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems. The North Korean embassy in Russia and South Korea’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.