KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea is preparing another 10,000 troops for deployment to Russia, while more than 8,000 North Korean troops are already on Russian territory.
Zelenskyy said the additional soldiers are being selected for training before being sent to Russia, citing new information from Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate. Ukrainian and South Korean estimates say North Korea has already sent around 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024, with many deployed in the Kursk region.
North Korea has also supplied Russia with large quantities of artillery and mortar ammunition, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems and multiple-launch rocket systems. Zelenskyy said Russia is also providing North Korea with technology and technical support for producing Shahed-type attack drones.
The announcement comes amid a diplomatic dispute between Ukraine and South Korea over two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces in Kursk in January 2025. The soldiers later said they wanted to go to South Korea, and Ukraine eventually transferred them to Seoul.
Zelenskyy publicly announced the transfer during his September 23 United Nations General Assembly address. He also said one of the soldiers had attempted suicide before being captured.
South Korea criticized Kyiv for revealing the transfer, saying the two countries had agreed to keep the matter confidential to protect the soldiers and their families. On Monday, South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador Andrii Vieshkin and demanded an explanation and apology.
The dispute comes as Ukraine is seeking greater military support from South Korea, particularly air-defense systems. Seoul announced a $100 million aid package for Ukraine in July that excluded lethal weapons.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the authorized strength of Russia’s armed forces by 15,500 personnel, bringing the total to about 2.44 million, including 1.55 million military personnel.
The reported preparation of another 10,000 North Korean troops comes as military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang continues to expand and relations between Kyiv and Seoul face a new diplomatic dispute.
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