Zelensky says Russia seeks 30,000 extra North Korean troops for Ukraine war
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- Zelensky said Russia is seeking an additional 30,000 North Korean troops, with preparations underway since June in Russia's Voronezh region near the Ukrainian border.
- North Korea is also preparing to transfer additional ballistic missile launchers to Russia, which Zelensky called "a threat to everyone in Asia within range of North Korean missiles."
- South Korea estimates approximately 2,000 North Korean troops have already been killed fighting for Russia, following Pyongyang's initial deployment of thousands to the Kursk region in 2024.
- North Korea and Russia signed a military assistance treaty in 2024, reaffirmed during North Korean FM Choe Son Hui's visit to Moscow this week, where Pyongyang expressed "invariable support" for Russia's war on Ukraine.
- In exchange for military aid, North Korea has received cash, military technology, and food and energy commodities to help it overcome international sanctions over its nuclear program.
Why it matters: Russia's deepening reliance on North Korea — already costing roughly 2,000 KPA lives — is expanding to 30,000 more troops and fresh missile launchers. Zelensky explicitly warned that Moscow is paying Pyongyang in real combat experience and weapons technology, accelerating North Korea's capabilities that threaten South Korea, Japan, and the broader Asia-Pacific.
