Zelensky: Russia Prepares Recruitment of 30,000 North Korean Soldiers

North Korean Losses at Kursk

The Ukrainian president also warned of the security policy consequences of this cooperation beyond Europe. "All of this poses a threat to everyone in Asia who is within range of North Korean missiles," Zelensky said. He also criticized the military benefit that Russia provides to North Korea: "Russia is helping North Korea learn war, improving its weapons and giving the country experience in the real use of weapons," Zelensky said.

According to officially unconfirmed estimates, at least 2,000 North Koreans were killed during the reconquest of areas near Kursk. The actual losses have not yet been verified by independent sources.

Diplomatic Rapprochement with Moscow

Zelensky's announcement comes amid a phase of diplomatic rapprochement between Moscow and Pyongyang. A few days before his statements, the state North Korean news agency KCNA announced, on the occasion of a visit by the North Korean foreign minister to Moscow, that Pyongyang's backing for the "entire domestic and foreign policy of the Russian Federation" was unwavering.

With the planned increase to up to 30,000 soldiers, the scale of North Korean participation in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine would more than double. The new troop strength significantly exceeds the previous contingents of both the first and any potential second deployment.

Deployment in the Voronezh Region

The Voronezh region is located in the border area between Russia and Ukraine and has already been the scene of fighting during the war. A deployment of further North Korean soldiers there would once again noticeably expand Pyongyang's direct military presence in the conflict zone.

Zelensky had repeatedly accused Russia of systematically using foreign contingents to compensate for its own personnel shortages at the front. From his perspective, the renewed announcement underscores the Kremlin's willingness to further deepen its dependence on North Korean military aid.

International observers consider the mutual military support between Moscow and Pyongyang to be one of the most far-reaching cases of direct alliance assistance in the ongoing war to date. The participation of North Korean soldiers also raises questions about the legal classification and potential consequences for the region.

The report was broadcast on July 26, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. Independent confirmations of the figures cited by Zelensky were not available at the time of reporting.