North Korea to send as many as 30,000 troops to bolster Russia’s forces, Ukrainian officials say

North Korea is set to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia along the front lines with Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Moscow, according to an intelligence assessment from Ukrainian officials. The troops may arrive in Russia in the coming months, according to the assessment seen by CNN, adding to the 11,000 sent in November who helped repel Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. Around 4,000 of those North Korean soldiers were killed or injured in the deployment, according to Western officials, yet Pyongyang’s cooperation with Moscow has since bloomed. A Western intelligence official confirmed the estimate, saying they had seen information separate to the Ukrainian assessment which suggested up to 30,000 new North Korean troops could be sent to Russia. The Ukrainian assessment seen by CNN says the Russian ministry of defense is capable of providing “needed equipment, weapons and ammunition” with the aim of “further integration to Russian combat units.” The document adds “there is a great possibility” the North Korean troops will be engaged in combat in parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine “to strengthen the Russian contingent, including during the large-scale offensive operations.” The assessment, from Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency, also says there are signs that Russian military aircraft are being refitted to carry personnel, reflecting the vast undertaking of moving tens of thousands of foreign troops across Russian Siberia, which shares a border with North Korea in its far southwest.

Reports in Russian media have also hinted at intensified cooperation. A video from a Russian TV presenter and politician, Marina Kim, posted on Telegram two days after the Kremlin admitted North Korea’s role in the war in late April, shows the intensive
military than was previously seen. North Korean troops’ first exposure to the front line in Kursk was as a distinct, separate unit, owing to the language barrier with Moscow’s troops, according to assessments by Ukrainian officials.

One TASS video shows North Korean and Russian troops working to clear buildings together in close-combat training, and another shows North Koreans receiving training with shotguns, used to tackle the Ukrainian drone threat.

The additional troops mark a significant development in the conflict, and a sign that North Korea’s leader is doubling down on his support for Moscow. Kim Jong Un was seen on North Korean state media inspecting North Korean special forces on May 14, leading some analysts to suspect the visit was related to a future deployment. The revelation of what appears will be a major North Korean deployment is part of a month-long WNN investigation into North Korea’s widening role in support of Moscow’s war.