Zelensky Claims "Russia Wants to Deploy 30,000 Additional North Korean Troops, Preparing Border Deployment"

"Preparing to Deploy Additional Ballistic Missile Launchers to Russia"
"A Threat to Asian Countries"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia wants to receive an additional 30,000 troops from North Korea and is preparing to deploy them to the border area.

On July 25 (local time), President Zelensky stated in a speech posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “Russia wants an additional 30,000 troops from North Korea,” and added, “Since June, preparations have been underway in the Voronezh region of Russia to accommodate them.” Voronezh, located in southwestern Russia, borders Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky

He continued, “North Korea is preparing to deploy additional ballistic missile launchers to Russia,” and stressed, “This is not just a threat to Ukraine alone.”

He further emphasized, “Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, upgrade its weapons, and gain combat experience,” and added, “All of this poses a threat to Asian countries within the range of North Korean missiles.”

Previously, North Korea and Russia signed an alliance treaty during the summit between Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Vladimir Putin held in Pyongyang in June 2024. North Korea began dispatching troops to Russia in October of that year.

It is estimated that, so far, North Korea has sent about 20,000 troops, including combat and engineering units, to the Kursk region over four separate deployments. NK News, a media outlet specializing in North Korea, cited a report from Ukrainian intelligence authorities and reported that as of early this year, around 14,000 North Korean troops were stationed in that area.

Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui officially visited Russia on July 18. Russian President Putin expressed his gratitude once again to North Korea’s leadership for supporting the so-called “special military operation” (the war in Ukraine), according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.