Russia employs North Koreans to build drones for Ukraine war: report
Russia is increasingly mobilising North Korean workers to build military drones for use against Ukraine in defiance of international sanctions, giving Pyongyang a key source of revenue to fund its unlawful weapons programmes, according to a report by the US and its allies. Up to 25,000 North Koreans were believed to be working in Russia’s drone industry, including at facilities in Alabuga,…
A recent report reveals Russia is leveraging North Korean workers to construct military drones for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, in violation of international sanctions. This arrangement provides the Kim Jong-un regime with a significant source of revenue to fund its unlawful weapons programs. According to the US-led Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, up to 25,000 North Koreans are reportedly employed in Russia’s drone industry, assembling unmanned aerial vehicles at facilities in Alabuga, Tatarstan.
Furthermore, North Koreans working in Russia – primarily IT professionals – earned an estimated US$800 million in 2023, further fueling Pyongyang’s illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The report highlights the expansion of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea beyond weaponry and personnel, now encompassing labor and industrial production. This development underscores the strategic value of North Korean labor for Russia and the financial benefits the Kim regime gains from their exploitation.
To circumvent sanctions, North Korean workers are often depicted as students under a visa program. These individuals earn an average of US$7,500 annually, with most of their wages confiscated by the Kim regime. In certain instances, the amount confiscated surpasses the workers' actual earnings. Compensation for North Korean laborers in Russia can be up to five times higher than what they could earn in China, making Russia an increasingly attractive option for Pyongyang.
As of the end of 2025, it is estimated that between 20,000 and 70,000 North Korean workers are employed in China, while an additional 15,000 to 30,000 are stationed in Russia. The 11-nation team responsible for monitoring sanctions enforcement against North Korea, which includes South Korea and Japan, consists of the United States and its allies.
This group took over from a UN panel following a Russian veto in 2024, which had been operating for 15 years in an effort to curb North Korea's sanctions evasion and nuclear arsenal development.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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