Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Russia is preparing to deploy an additional 30,000 North Korean troops, along with more ballistic missile launchers, to bolster its military campaign against Ukraine.
In a statement posted on X late Saturday, Zelensky said preparations for the new deployment have been underway since June in Russia’s Voronezh region, near the Ukrainian border.
“Russia wants to receive another 30,000 troops from North Korea. Since June, preparations have been underway in Russia’s Voronezh region to receive them,” Zelensky wrote.
He also alleged that Pyongyang is planning to send additional ballistic missile launchers to Moscow, warning that the growing military partnership poses risks beyond the war in Ukraine.
“North Korea is also preparing to transfer additional launchers for ballistic missiles to Russia. This is a threat not only to Ukraine. Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons, and gain real combat experience in using them,” Zelensky stated.
He cautioned that the deepening cooperation could have broader security implications for Asia, saying countries within range of North Korean missiles could face increased threats.
North Korea has been one of Russia’s closest military partners since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2024, Pyongyang reportedly deployed thousands of troops to support Russian forces during efforts to repel a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kursk region and has also supplied weapons and ammunition to the Kremlin.
South Korean authorities estimate that approximately 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces.
Military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang were further strengthened after both countries signed a mutual military assistance treaty in 2024.
The alliance was reaffirmed this week during a visit to Moscow by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, who reiterated her country’s support for Russia’s military campaign.
According to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang pledged its “invariable support” for Russia’s domestic and foreign policies aimed at addressing what it described as the root causes of the conflict in Ukraine while defending Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ahead of Choe’s visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly thanked North Korea for its continued backing in a video message.
Analysts say North Korea has benefited from the partnership through financial assistance, military technology transfers, food supplies, and energy resources, helping the isolated nation ease the impact of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons programme.
