Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that North Korea is preparing to send between 30,000 and 50,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine — a significant escalation of Pyongyang's military involvement in the conflict. Speaking in an interview with Ukraine's United News telethon and posting on X, Zelensky said a formal decision had already been made, though he did not disclose how the information was obtained. The figure represents a sharp increase from his estimate of 30,000 troops just weeks earlier.

North Korea is believed to have already sent around 14,000 to 20,000 combat troops and military engineers to Russia's Kursk region — a border area where Ukrainian forces launched a major incursion in 2024 — helping Moscow push back that offensive. The deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow stem from a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June 2024, which includes a mutual assistance clause in the event of external aggression. North Korea has framed its troop deployments as fulfilment of obligations to a treaty ally.

Beyond personnel, North Korea has also supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments. Zelensky also disclosed that North Korean missiles had been found on Ukrainian territory, without specifying locations. A Ukrainian military intelligence official separately told Reuters this month that a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia and may be equipped with up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for use against Ukrainian targets.

Zelensky used the announcement to appeal directly to South Korea — North Korea's neighbour and a country with a long-standing interest in containing Pyongyang's military ambitions — for closer cooperation, particularly on air defence systems and drones. Ukraine faces a critical shortage of high-end air defences, which Russia has sought to exploit through increased use of ballistic missiles. Zelensky acknowledged that South Korea faces constitutional restrictions on providing lethal military support but said Ukrainian diplomats were actively engaged with Seoul to explore possible arrangements. South Korea's Foreign Ministry had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.