Russia Begins Additional Mobilization, Expands North Korean Troop Presence

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine announced on September 28 that Russia has begun additional mobilization and intends to expand the presence of North Korean troops on Russian soil. According to Zelensky, over 8,000 North Korean military personnel are currently stationed in Russia, with plans to deploy an additional 10,000. The longer-term objective includes a mobilization force of up to 50,000 troops, a goal that Zelensky has been warning about since August.

The Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR) estimates that one in ten Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine are foreign citizens, with at least 55 nationalities represented. Ukraine has repeatedly cautioned that Russia may plan a major mobilization in autumn 2026 to replenish its forces after sustained battlefield losses. A parliamentary election scheduled for September 18-20, the first since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, was anticipated to precede this mobilization.

In July, Ukraine's Defense Ministry estimated Russia had lost around 43,000 troops, while the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZRU) reported an average daily recruitment rate of 1,070-1,090 troops, falling short of the battlefield losses. Western assessments indicated that Russia has delayed a formal mobilization by relying on volunteers and covert recruitment. Despite these claims, Moscow has continued to deny a second round of mobilization, a strategy that has led Ukrainian officials to question its sincerity.

North Korea, a critical wartime partner of Russia, has supplied troops, weapons, and manpower in exchange for financial and technological support. Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) estimates that North Korea provides between 25% and 40% of Russia's artillery shells. The first documented use of North Korean ballistic missiles by Russia occurred on December 29, 2023, when a missile landed in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned of an imminent Russian mobilization, citing preparations such as tightened military registration controls, potential quotas for law enforcement agencies, expanded prison recruitment, and harsher penalties for ignoring electronic summonses. In June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a defense pact, which provided context for the latest mobilization announcement.

North Korean troops were officially recognized by Moscow and Pyongyang in April 2025. During the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Zelensky disclosed that two North Korean troops were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region and later handed over to South Korea, a revelation that drew criticism from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.