Zelensky says Russia readying more N. Korean troops, missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Monday that Russia is preparing to station additional North Korean troops and has received more ballistic missiles from Pyongyang. In his nightly address, Zelensky claimed that this marks the first time Russia cannot wage war without assistance from North Korea. He urged Japan and South Korea to provide air defence aid to counter the growing strength of North Korean forces, which he says are bolstered by their experience in helping Moscow.

The Ukrainian leader did not offer any evidence or timeline to support these claims, but emphasized the need for Western air-defence supplies. Zelensky previously reported that a decision had been made to deploy 30,000 to 50,000 North Koreans on Russian soil, though he did not explain how he obtained this figure. Since signing a mutual defence pact with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024, North Korea has become one of Russia's closest military partners.

Russia utilized North Korean troops in a counteroffensive that drove Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk border region earlier that year.