Zelenskyy: North Korea Preparing 10,000 Troops to Assist Russia in War Against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that there are more than 8,000 North Korean soldiers within Russian territory. He noted that North Korea is also preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops to assist Russia.

“They are being selected for training and will subsequently be deployed to Russia,” Zelenskyy said, citing the latest data on Monday.

The Ukrainian President had previously stated in August that North Korea could potentially send up to 50,000 troops to fight alongside Russia. In response to the escalating threat, Zelenskyy has called upon South Korea to provide support for Ukraine’s air defence.

South Korea announced a $100 million aid package for Ukraine in July, although this did not include lethal weaponry.

Zelenskyy’s comments on Monday follow a dispute between Seoul and Kyiv regarding an announcement last week, which revealed that Ukraine had handed over two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul expressed regret over the announcement, citing an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of the transfer.

South Korea also protested what it described as a false statement from the Ukrainian President’s office, which denied the existence of such a confidentiality agreement.