North Korea may deploy up to 50,000 troops to Russia, Zelensky claims

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that as many as 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be deployed to Russia, reflecting growing military cooperation between the two countries. He did not elaborate on his sources for this information, but warned that Pyongyang could gain valuable battlefield experience and military technology through its support for Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers will be deployed in Russia to fight for Pyongyang's ally, while calling on South Korea to provide support for Ukraine's air defence. Zelensky said on X on Saturday that "a decision has been made for 30,000 to 50,000 North Koreans to be deployed on the territory of Russia", a higher figure than his estimate of 30,000 in July. He did not elaborate on how he obtained the information. He said Kyiv had found some North Korean missiles in Ukraine's territory, without disclosing their locations. "It is absolutely clear that North Korea will continue to build its experience in modern warfare, receive licences from Russia, and receive all kinds of military tools from them," he said. Urging Seoul to have closer cooperation with Kyiv, Zelensky said that Ukraine "would very much like to receive support from South Korea in an area where we have a shortage", referring to its air defence systems. North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk Region since 2024, helping Moscow beat back a major incursion into the region by Ukrainian forces.