North Korea to send almost 30,000 troops to reinforce Russia in war against Ukraine - CNN
Kyiv • UNN
North Korea plans to send an additional 25,000-30,000 troops to Russia, who will join the 11,000 soldiers already sent last year. These troops may be involved in combat operations in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
North Korea intends to triple the number of its troops fighting on Russia's side against Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to help Moscow. This was reported by CNN, citing Ukrainian intelligence data, according to UNN.
Details
According to intelligence experts, these troops could arrive in Russia in the coming months, supplementing the 11,000 servicemen already sent last November. According to Western officials, approximately 4,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or wounded while participating in Russia's war against Ukraine. However, Pyongyang's cooperation with Moscow has only intensified since then.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian Ministry of Defense is able to provide Korean soldiers with "necessary equipment, weapons, and ammunition" with the aim of "further integration into Russian combat units." The intelligence document, reviewed by CNN, adds that "there is a high probability" that North Korean troops will be involved in combat operations in Russian-occupied Ukraine "to reinforce the Russian contingent, particularly during large-scale offensive operations."
The assessment also notes that there are signs that Russian military aircraft are being re-equipped to transport personnel. This reflects the large-scale task of moving tens of thousands of foreign military personnel across Russian Siberia, which borders North Korea in the far southwest.
Possible preparatory work for the new deployment, including the arrival of a ship linked to last year's deployments at a Russian port, and a cargo plane at North Korea's Sunan airport, were observed in satellite images obtained by CNN.
Recall
North Korea initially sent 11,000 troops to Russia in the fall of 2024 under secrecy. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin confirmed the deployment of the Korean army contingent only in late April of this year. At the same time, the Korean dictator openly admitted the DPRK's participation in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Later, Kim Jong Un decided to send thousands of sappers and military builders to restore the Kursk region.