Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that North Korea is reportedly sending its citizens to assist the Russian military in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, raising alarms about the strengthening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. In his daily video address on Sunday, Zelensky stated, “We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea. It is no longer just about transferring weapons; it is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces.”
Zelensky’s assertion comes at a time when the relationship between Russia and North Korea appears to be growing increasingly amicable. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a landmark visit to North Korea—the first such visit in over two decades—during which Western analysts began speculating on the extent of North Korea’s potential support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Our relations with our partners need to be developed. The frontline needs more support,” Zelensky added, once again urging Western allies to enable Ukraine to utilize long-range missiles against Russian targets.
A source from Ukrainian intelligence, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the information, disclosed last week that a small contingent of North Korean personnel has been working with the Russian military. Their roles reportedly include engineering support and sharing expertise on the use of North Korean ammunition. The source also indicated that some North Korean operatives had recently lost their lives in eastern Ukraine, underscoring the seriousness of their involvement.
Despite Zelensky’s allegations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the claims, labeling them as “another hoax.” However, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has been monitoring the situation closely and expressed skepticism regarding the Kremlin’s denials. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun stated, “It is highly likely that the reported casualties of North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine are true, given various circumstances,” during a parliamentary audit on Tuesday.
He further added, “The possibility of further deployment of regular troops is very high, as Russia and North Korea have entered into a mutual agreement that is almost equivalent to a military alliance. We will also be well-prepared for this possibility.” Multiple nations have accused North Korea of supplying arms to Russia for its prolonged conflict in Ukraine—a claim both nations have categorically denied, despite a wealth of evidence suggesting otherwise.
The burgeoning relationship between the two isolated nations has become more evident since the onset of Russia’s invasion. During Putin’s visit to North Korea, both countries committed to leveraging all available resources to provide military assistance to one another in the event of an attack. This historic defense pact marks a significant development in their bilateral relations, which Putin described as being elevated to a “new level.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed his unequivocal support for Russia during talks in June, stating his solidarity with the Russian government, military, and populace in their efforts to defend “sovereignty, safety, and territorial stability.” Recently, videos surfaced showing North Korean soldiers receiving uniforms and military equipment in Russia’s far east, aligning with reports from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service that indicated approximately 1,500 North Korean soldiers were sent for military training in Russia to be deployed in Ukraine.
The North Korean recruits are believed to be undergoing training before potentially being dispatched to the front lines in Ukraine, further indicating the deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. In a video shared by the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security, a long line of North Korean soldiers was seen waiting to receive their uniforms, speaking in Korean, although the audio quality made their conversations difficult to discern.
Upon their arrival in Russia, the North Korean soldiers were required to fill out a questionnaire detailing their sizes for various military gear, with the document displaying both Russian and Korean text. Another video that circulated on social media showed North Korean troops arriving at a training ground near Russia’s border with China, where a Russian speaker remarked, “We can’t film them… There are more… there are millions of them here. Here are the new reinforcements. This is just the beginning. There are more.”
These developments confirm Ukrainian officials’ long-held fears regarding North Korea’s potential direct involvement in the conflict. President Zelensky has previously highlighted the threat posed by the alliance between Russia and North Korea, reporting to NATO that “thousands” of North Korean troops were being deployed to Russia, with intelligence indicating preparations for an additional 10,000 soldiers, including various land forces and technical personnel. South Korean media has previously reported that North Korea may send a total of 12,000 troops, although this figure was not included in the latest assessments from the national intelligence service.
Should these allegations be confirmed, this could mark North Korea’s first substantial intervention in an international conflict since the Korean War. The country possesses one of the largest militaries globally, comprising approximately 1.2 million personnel, although many lack combat experience. The ongoing partnership between North Korea and Russia signifies a shift in the geopolitical landscape, as both countries, often marginalized by the West, appear to be solidifying their military cooperation amid global tensions.
