Russia recruiting up to 25,000 North Koreans to assemble drones: What the data shows
Pyongyang, which supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has helped staff and arm its forces. The UN says up to 25,000 North Koreans assemble drones in Russia, with most of their pay seized by Kim Jong-un's regime.
A recent UN report has revealed Russia is recruiting up to 25,000 North Korean workers to assemble drones, primarily at a special economic zone in Tatarstan. This comes as Russia issues over 36,400 visas to North Koreans annually, many of which are student visas to circumvent UN sanctions. The workers, who are often registered as students, are employed in defense plants, steelworks, and shipbuilding facilities across Russia.
The conditions under which they work are described as harsh, with their wages seized by North Korea and their movements tightly controlled. The regime reportedly finances its nuclear program with the money earned from this labor. Russia's use of North Korean labor is driven by a severe labor shortage, particularly in the drone sector, which poses a significant threat to Ukraine's defenses.
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