Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a video speech on Saturday evening, July 25, pointing out that Russia is preparing to redeploy 30,000 North Korean soldiers to join the war in Ukraine, a move that will significantly escalate Pyongyang’s direct involvement in the military scale of the conflict.
Zelensky stated in his address, “Once again we see the cooperation between Russia and North Korea, with Russia looking to receive an additional 30,000 North Korean soldiers.”
He revealed that since June this year, the Russian side has been preparing to receive these North Korean troops in the Voronezh region.
In 2024, approximately 14,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to the Russian-Ukrainian front. Initially, Moscow denied this, but later Ukraine released videos from the battlefield, as well as testimonies from captured North Korean soldiers, leading Moscow and Pyongyang to acknowledge the issue.
North Korean state media confirmed in 2025 that Kim Jong Un approved sending troops to support Russia in August 2024.
Subsequently, the Pyongyang authorities began publicly honoring the North Korean soldiers killed in combat in Ukraine, portraying them as national heroes.
Earlier this year, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service disclosed that around 4,700 North Korean troops, with around 600 fatalities, had been involved in operations in the Kursk region, although this figure has not been officially verified.
Analysts believe that if the reports of North Korea’s troop deployment are true, it would more than double Pyongyang’s current known military presence in the conflict, deepening concerns for the United States and its allies – North Korea’s military is accumulating combat experience in this war, while also receiving military and technological assistance from Russia.
Zelensky stressed in his speech that the impact of Russia-North Korea cooperation extends beyond the Ukrainian battlefield.
He said, “This is not just a threat to Ukraine; Russia is helping North Korea learn combat tactics, improve weapons, and gain practical experience in using these weapons.”
He also pointed out that this collaboration poses a threat to several Asian nations within North Korea’s missile range.
Furthermore, Zelensky mentioned that North Korea is preparing to provide Russia with more ballistic missile launchers.
Officials from the United States, South Korea, and their allies have previously alleged that North Korea is shipping ammunition, missiles, and other military supplies to Russia in exchange for Russian resources and technology.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine will respond to the growing threat of Russian-North Korean military cooperation.