Zelenskyy Says North Korea Plans to Send Up to 50,000 More Troops to Russia

KYIV, Ukraine —

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea has decided to send 30,000 to 50,000 more troops to fight alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, a sharp jump from the numbers deployed so far.

Zelenskyy made the claim in a post on social media platform X on Sunday, citing remarks he had made in an interview with the United News telethon, a Ukrainian broadcast pool, according to Yonhap and the Korea Herald. "North Koreans appear on the territory of the Russian Federation from time to time," Zelenskyy said. "At first, we were talking about hundreds, then thousands, and now a decision has been made for 30,000 to 50,000 North Koreans to be deployed on the territory of Russia," he said, according to Yonhap.

North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense treaty in June 2024 when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to ABC Australia. The pact commits each country to help the other if it faces outside attack. North Korea has framed its troop deployments as support for a treaty ally, ABC Australia reported.

Since the treaty was signed, North Korea has sent roughly 14,000 to 20,000 combat troops and military engineers to Russia's Kursk region, where they helped push back a Ukrainian incursion, according to Yonhap and ABC Australia. Ukrainian military intelligence has also said a North Korean missile unit recently began moving into western Russia and may bring as many as 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for use against Ukrainian targets, ABC Australia reported. North Korea has also sent Russia millions of artillery and mortar rounds, along with long-range artillery and rocket systems, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments cited by ABC Australia.

A push for Seoul's help

Zelenskyy used the moment to appeal directly to South Korea, saying Kyiv wants Seoul's help with air defense systems and drones, areas where Ukraine faces shortages. "We would very much like to receive support from South Korea in an area where we have a shortage," he said, according to ABC Australia. He added that Ukrainian diplomats are already in touch with South Korean officials to explore possible deals, including what he called a "Drone Deal."

Zelenskyy acknowledged that South Korea's constitution limits arms exports to countries at war. "They have a legal restriction under their Constitution. But we would like to have this cooperation and are counting on it," he said, according to Yonhap.

Zelenskyy said he expects North Korea to keep gaining combat experience through its involvement in the war, along with access to Russian weapons licenses and military technology, according to both Yonhap and ABC Australia.