Zelensky says up to 50,000 North Korean troops to be deployed in Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday, 8 August that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers will be deployed in Russia, as he urged South Korea to provide air defence support.
Zelensky's announcement
On Saturday, 8 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a decision has been made to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean soldiers on Russian territory, up from his estimate of 30,000 in July. Writing on X and speaking to United News, Zelensky did not elaborate on how he obtained the information. He said Kyiv had found North Korean missiles on Ukrainian territory, without disclosing their locations, and warned that Pyongyang could present a "threat" to "other states in the Asian direction" as it studies the lessons of the war in Ukraine.
If at first it was about hundreds, then thousands, now it has been decided that from 30 to 50 thousand North Koreans [will go to] the territory of Russia.
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.
North Korean military support to Russia
North Korea has already sent an estimated 14,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk Region in 2024, helping Moscow beat back a Ukrainian incursion into the border region. According to Ukrainian and independent assessments, Pyongyang has supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery, and multiple-launch rocket systems. This month, a Ukrainian military intelligence official told Reuters that a North Korean missile unit had begun deploying to western Russia and could be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine.
- Putin and Kim Jong-un sign comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang
- North Korea sends estimated 14,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk Region
- Zelensky estimates 30,000 North Korean troops for deployment in Russia
- Ukrainian intelligence reports North Korean missile unit deploying to western Russia with 120 ballistic missiles and 6 launchers
- Zelensky says decision made for 30,000-50,000 North Korean troops to deploy in Russia
- Kursk (2024)
- 14000 soldiers
- July estimate
- 30000 soldiers
- August low
- 30000 soldiers
- August high
- 50000 soldiers
Appeal to South Korea
Zelensky urged Seoul to strengthen cooperation with Kyiv, saying Ukraine "would very much like to receive support from South Korea in an area where we have a shortage," referring to air defence systems. He said Ukraine is ready to work on a "Drone Deal" and other areas, and that Ukrainian diplomats "are in contact" with Seoul to push potential deals. Ukraine is severely short of high-end air defences, and Russia has tried to exploit this vulnerability by using more ballistic missiles, which are particularly difficult to intercept. The North Korean Embassy in Russia and South Korea's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters outside business hours.
Strategic partnership and broader context
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty during Putin's June 2024 visit to Pyongyang. The pact includes a mutual assistance provision if either country faces external aggression. North Korea has cast its deployment as assistance to a treaty partner. Separately, US intelligence believes Putin could order an attack on a NATO member within weeks to test the alliance's resolve. US officials told the Wall Street Journal that the reports considered the possibility of a small land incursion or cyber attacks across eastern Europe sometime between this autumn and 2029, with the likelihood of a cross-border incursion growing more probable with time. The US has reportedly depleted key missile stockpiles in the war with Iran.
