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.
In late 2024, North Korea sent troops to Russia to bolster defense in the Kursk region. Estimates suggest between 14,000 to 15,000 North Korean soldiers were initially deployed, with plans to send an additional 30,000 to 50,000 troops. Ukrainian and international intelligence agencies suspect North Korean ballistic missiles are being fired from Russia.
President Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that North Korea's improved combat and weapons experience could pose a security threat to Ukraine and the Asia-Pacific region. North Korean troops are expected to help secure Russia's border territories, including Kursk and southwestern Vornezh, potentially freeing up Russian forces for combat in Vovchansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, or Chernihiv.
Russian military analysts, however, believe Russia has sufficient troops and does not anticipate North Korean troops fighting on Ukrainian soil. Diplomatically, Russia and North Korea have a mutually beneficial partnership that is likely to deepen throughout the conflict. Despite concerns about Russia's declining resources, analysts do not believe North Korea's involvement will bring about a turning point in the war.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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