Troops from North Korea to boost Russia's Ukraine forces
Intelligence agencies report that North Korea is preparing to send up to 50,000 troops to Russia. But military experts doubt that this will make a fundamental difference in the course of Russia's war with Ukraine.
In late 2024, North Korea is reportedly sending troops and ballistic missiles to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine. Estimates suggest between 14,000-15,000 North Korean soldiers were initially deployed to defend the Kursk region, with the potential to send an additional 30,000-50,000 troops. Ukrainian officials have also noted North Korean ballistic missiles being fired from Russian territory.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that North Korea's increased combat experience could pose a security threat to Ukraine and the Asia-Pacific region. Military analysts have differing views on the potential impact of North Korean forces in Ukraine, with some believing they could free up Russian troops to fight on the front lines, while others argue they would primarily be used to launch terror attacks on residential areas.
North Korea has reportedly delivered 148 KN-23 and KN-24 missiles to Russia since 2025, which Ukraine's intelligence suggests could reach residential areas with greater payload, longer range, and lower accuracy compared to Russia's Iskander missiles.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
