Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Zelensky Says North Korea Preparing 10,000 More Troops for Russia
Ukraine says North Korea may send more soldiers to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 8,000 North Korean troops are already in Russia.
He said another 10,000 are being prepared for training and deployment.
Ukraine and South Korea estimate that North Korea has sent 14,000 to 15,000 troops since 2024.
Many of those troops are reported to be in the Kursk region.
They are helping Russia respond to a Ukrainian military operation there.
North Korea has also supplied Russia with ammunition, missiles and other weapons, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments.
Ukraine and South Korea also disagreed about whether the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers was supposed to remain secret.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia.
Zelenskyy said another 10,000 North Korean troops are being selected for training and deployment to Russia.
Ukraine previously estimated that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could eventually be sent to fight for Russia.
Ukrainian and South Korean estimates say North Korea has sent 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024.
Seoul and Kyiv disputed whether an agreement required confidentiality over Ukraine’s transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
- Who
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, North Korean troops, Russia, Ukraine and South Korea.
- What
- Ukraine says more than 8,000 North Korean troops are in Russia and another 10,000 are being prepared for deployment.
- When
- Zelenskyy made the statement on Monday; Ukraine and South Korea estimate the deployments have occurred since 2024.
- Where
- The troops are in Russian territory, with most reportedly deployed in the Kursk region.
- Why
- The troops are supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, including efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion in Kursk.
Ukraine’s account
South Korea’s position
North Korean troop deployment
Ukraine’s account
Ukraine says more than 8,000 North Korean troops are already in Russia and another 10,000 are being prepared for training and deployment.
South Korea’s position
South Korean estimates, cited alongside Ukrainian estimates, place the number sent since 2024 at 14,000 to 15,000; the article gives no separate current estimate from Seoul.
Confidentiality over captured soldiers
Ukraine’s account
Ukraine’s presidential office denied that an agreement existed requiring confidentiality over the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
South Korea’s position
South Korea expressed regret over Zelenskyy’s public announcement and said the transfer was covered by an agreement to keep it confidential.
- Troops currently in Russia
- More than 8,000, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Additional troops being prepared
- Another 10,000, according to Zelenskyy.
- Estimated total sent since 2024
- Between 14,000 and 15,000, according to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates.
- Main reported deployment area
- The Kursk region of Russia.
- Other North Korean support
- Millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems and multiple-launch rocket systems.
- South Korean aid to Ukraine
- A $100 million package announced in July that excluded lethal weapons.