Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is requesting an extra 30,000 North Korean soldiers to bolster its military efforts in Ukraine.

In his Saturday evening address, Zelensky noted, "Russia aims to obtain another 30,000 troops from North Korea. Preparations for their arrival have been ongoing in the Voronezh region since June."

He further claimed that North Korea plans to supply additional ballistic missile launchers to Russia.

Zelensky emphasized the broader implications: "This poses a danger not just to Ukraine. Russia is instructing North Korea in warfare tactics, refining their armaments, and providing actual battle experience."

"This endangers all nations in Asia within the reach of North Korean missiles," he added.

How Many North Korean Troops Have Been Deployed with Russian Forces in Ukraine?

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Pyongyang dispatched 12,000 to 14,000 soldiers in 2024 to support Russia's operations in Kursk.

Reports indicate that up to 6,000 of these troops have perished, based on information from South Korean and Ukrainian sources cited by The Guardian in April.

Multiple global news organizations have also covered North Korea sending workers to Russia under harsh, slave-like conditions.

A worker interviewed by the BBC described being escorted by a North Korean security agent from the airport to a construction site in remote eastern Russia, enduring 18-hour workdays with only two days off annually.

Another account revealed that supervisors prevented a worker from seeking hospital care after a severe facial injury from a four-meter fall.

Although North Korea has not officially disclosed its troop casualties, leader Kim Jong Un has publicly honored the fallen soldiers.

Kim described their army as heroic and praised their performance, stating it reinforced their status as the world's most powerful military, according to KCNA in August.

He commended their successful operations in liberating the Kursk Region of Russia, as reported by KCNA.