Russia wants to recruit 30 000 to 50 000 North Koreans to learn from the war in Ukraine. This could pose a threat to Asian states and exacerbate the situation in the Pacific.
This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"It is absolutely clear that North Korea will build up its experience in modern warfare, will receive licenses from Russia, will receive all military tools from them," the president said.
Therefore, Zelensky called on South Korea to provide Ukraine with air defense systems. In response, Ukraine is ready to work in the field of drones, in particular. Despite the fact that the Constitution of South Korea has restrictions on such cooperation, diplomats are discussing it, the president says.
Cooperation between Russia and North Korea
As early as January 4, 2024, Western media reported that Russia had received a shipment of ballistic missiles and launchers from the DPRK. On the same day, the US officially stated that Russia had short-range ballistic missiles from the DPRK and had launched them over Ukraine.
The first DPRK soldiers arrived at the front to fight for Russia against Ukraine back in October 2024, when it was about 12 thousand people. And in March 2025, North Korea sent another 3 thousand soldiers.
On July 25, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia wants to receive another 30,000 troops from the DPRK. At the same time, North Korea is preparing to transfer new ballistic missile launchers to the Russian Federation. Since June, the Russian Federation has been preparing in the Voronezh region to receive North Korean soldiers.
On the night of July 30, the Russians used two North Korean missiles to strike Radushne in Kryvyi Rih for the first time in a year, killing a large family. The missiles were KN-23 missiles, which are actually a complete analogue of the Russian Iskander missile.
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