Russia has sent North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to support its opposition in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The President of Ukraine said that North Korean forces are allegedly being used in attacking Ukrainian forces defending the area in the Kursk region of Russia.
“Today, we already have the first data that the Russians have started using North Korean soldiers in their attacks. Many of them,” Mr. Zelensky said during his nightly military address.
Zelensky warned that the deployment of the North’s troops could reach other war zones. Kyiv estimates that up to 11,000 North Korean troops are in the area, bolstering Russian forces.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said the North Koreans had already suffered.
“The Russians are counting the numbers and are trying to carry out offensive operations with the help of the Koreans, while the Korean operation is running under the attack of our troops and taking other positions,” Mr Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, lays flowers at the site of the missile launch by Russia on December 10 in the city of Zaporizhzhia (Ukrainian president press service).
The Kremlin has not yet confirmed or denied North Korean military involvement.
Ukraine first reported the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region in October. This comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure to hold on to the enclave it seized in August during a sudden incursion into Russian territory. The operation, aimed at distracting Moscow’s forces, has drawn criticism for stretching Ukrainian personnel across an already stretched line.
While Kyiv continues to say the move was systematic, Moscow’s resistance has led to some of its fastest gains in eastern Ukraine since 2022, even as Russian forces have reportedly taken heavy casualties.
A member of the Ukrainian tank crew of the 68th Jaeger Brigade walks next to a Leopard 1A5 tank as they take a break from combat (AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian military reports indicate an increase in fighting on the Kursk front, including airstrikes, artillery, and bomb attacks.
In a broader context, the deployment of North Korean troops reinforces the deepening relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang. The two countries signed a defense pact in June, providing mutual military assistance in the event of an attack. Since then, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with more than 100 million ballistic missiles. In return, Moscow is said to have provided economic aid and support for Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
Zelensky criticized the actions of the Kremlin, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging another country into the conflict. “In fact, Moscow has dragged another country into this war, and to a full extent. And if this is not an increase, then what is the increase that many have been talking about?” he said.
The Ukrainian president used his address to urge Western allies to strengthen their support for Kyiv. They are expected to meet leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Nato, and the EU in Brussels next week to discuss military assistance.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of Russia reported the destruction of 15 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 13 over the Black Sea and two in the regions of Kursk and Belgorod.
Additional reporting by organizations