Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that more than 8,000 North Korean troops are already on Russian territory and that preparations are underway to send an additional 10,000 fighters to Russia.
Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon of South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party explains pictures, showing two North Korean POWs who were recently transferred from Ukraine to South Korea, taken during his visit to a POW camp in Ukraine last February, at his office at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, September 28, 2026. Face of POWs are blurred due to security reason by the source. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Referencing what he described as "new data," Zelenskiy wrote on X that candidates are "being selected for training and subsequent deployment to Russia." He reiterated earlier warnings that Pyongyang could ultimately send far larger numbers of personnel to support Moscow.
Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon of South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party explains pictures, showing two North Korean POWs who were recently transferred from Ukraine to South Korea, taken during his visit to a POW camp in Ukraine last February, at his office at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, September 28, 2026. Face of POWs are blurred due to security reason by the source. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Context and Estimates
Ukrainian and South Korean assessments estimate that North Korea has sent roughly 14,000–15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024, with many reportedly deployed in the Kursk region to counter Ukrainian operations. Kyiv and independent analysts have also accused Pyongyang of supplying Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, plus ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems and multiple-launch rocket systems.
Tensions With Seoul
Zelenskiy's remarks come amid diplomatic friction with South Korea after he said last week that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul. South Korea expressed regret at the public disclosure, saying there had been an agreement to keep the transfer confidential, and protested statements from the Ukrainian presidential office that denied such an agreement existed.
In July, South Korea announced a $100 million aid package for Ukraine, specifying that it excluded lethal weapons. Zelenskiy has urged Seoul to provide additional air-defence support amid concerns over North Korean assistance to Russia.
Source: Reporting by Heejin Kim in Seoul; Editing by Stephen Coates and Ed Davies (Reuters)
