According to President Zelenskyy, Russia is trying to bring in more North Korean troops into Ukraine, as Russia seeks to expand its gains in the Donbas.
Pyongyang reportedly sent around 20,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region to help expel Ukrainian forces from the region during Kyiv’s ill-fated Kursk incursion.
T-72 Tank from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Now, Moscow is allegedly seeking to bring in another 30,000 troops from North Korea to strengthen the front lines.
North Korea has played an interesting role in the war in the Russo-Ukrainian War so far. Pyongyang has donated missiles, artillery, and ammunition to Moscow in return for financial assistance and training from the Russians.
This newest development, if true, would mark a dramatic expansion in North Korea’s role in the conflict.
North Korean Soldiers Heading Back to Ukraine?
In an evening address, Zelenskyy stated that Russia intended to bring in more North Korean soldiers and missiles to bolster its positions on the front lines. “Russia wants to receive another 30,000 troops from North Korea,” he said. “Since June, preparations have been underway in Russia’s Voronezh region to receive them.” It should be noted that Zelenskyy did not provide any sources for these claims.
He also added that North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine carried serious implications for countries like Japan and South Korea. “This is a threat not only to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy added. “Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons and gain real combat experience in using them.”
North Korea’s assistance to Moscow has been known for some time now.
In 2023, Pyongyang first provided artillery shells and rockets to the Russian Army along with several domestic MLRS systems and self-propelled artillery.
In 2024, North Korea sent 20,000 troops to help Russia clear out Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region. According to intelligence reports from South Korea, North Korea suffered around 4,700 casualties in total, with around 600 killed.
Since the Kursk operation, it is unclear whether North Korean soldiers are still participating in combat operations in Ukraine. Officially, there are no Korean soldiers in combat, but Ukraine suspects that there may be as many as 14,000 soldiers along the front lines.
Pyongyang’s Role in the War
The Kremlin has yet to deny or even acknowledge Zelensky’s claims. Other Russian sources are skeptical of the claim, considering that there is really no source other than Zelenskyy’s word.
To some pro-Russian analysts, however, the announcement is good news for the Russian Army. “Whether this is true or not, we must admit that such help would not hurt us,” one article on Top War stated. “Of course, no one will send Koreans to the front line, but they could stand on the defensive in some sectors of the front, thereby freeing up our troops, which can be transferred to other directions for reinforcement.”
While the present author is skeptical about reports of manpower shortages within the Russian Army, an additional 30,000 troops would undoubtedly be a huge relief for the Russians, whose advances have slowed down noticeably in 2026.
There have been many claims made about North Korean soldiers in Ukraine, and very few can be reliably verified.
Originally, some analysts doubted that soldiers from Pyongyang were ever present in the first place. Evidence of North Korea’s direct involvement was iffy at the time, to say the least.
Part of the confusion comes from Russia’s diverse demographics. Spanning from Europe to East Asia, there are many ethnic groups in southeastern Russia (especially along the border with North Korea) that are ethnically Asian.
This makes it extremely difficult to determine whether a soldier is from North Korea or from one of Russia’s several regions in central/east Asia.
Ultimately, there is no way to prove or disprove Zelenskyy’s recent claims until more solid evidence emerges.
What Does North Korea Gain By Assisting Putin’s War?
What benefit does Pyongyang get from sending its own troops to fight against Ukraine?
From a military perspective, participation in Ukraine allows North Korea to test its artillery and missiles in real combat conditions.
It also allows North Korean troops and officers to experience contemporary warfare firsthand, while senior officers can study the lessons learned and further refine the military’s doctrine.
According to some reports, Russian specialists have been sent to North Korea as trainers, training the Korean People’s Army (KPA) in drone warfare while also handing over advanced military equipment.
While there have been many questions about the effectiveness of North Korean military equipment, experience in Ukraine and training from Russian specialists will undoubtedly enhance the capabilities of the KPA.
North Korea’s partnership with Moscow has provided a huge economic boon to Pyongyang.
Since the Korean War, North Korea’s economy has been significantly hampered by sanctions from the West along with economic mishandling that is characteristic of Marxist regimes (read Andrei Lankov’s The Real North Korea for a great analysis of North Korea’s recent history and economy).
Despite some improvements made in the last 20 years, the North Korean Economy is still struggling. Recent cooperation with Russia—along with a myriad of other factors— has caused an influx of economic assistance and tourism into Pyongyang.
Compared to South Korea, the country’s economy is still fledgling. However, assistance from Russia and a myriad of other factors have enabled the most rapid growth in North Korea’s entire history.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
