Russia is preparing to bring in an additional 10,000 North Korean soldiers, who are being selected for training and subsequent deployment to Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address following a report from Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence.
According to Zelensky, more than 8,000 North Korean troops are already present in Russia.
The president said Russia has effectively begun an additional mobilisation effort and is increasing the number of personnel it recruits through various means. Moscow also plans to expand the recruitment of foreign nationals, while Ukraine intends to inform the governments of countries whose citizens are being recruited by Russia.
Zelensky separately said that Russia is compensating North Korea for its military assistance by providing technologies, among other forms of support. According to him, North Korea has established production of Shahed-type strike drones with Russian technical assistance.
“With Russia’s technical support, production of Shahed-type strike drones has been established in North Korea. This is how evil spreads and how a threat to life in one part of the world spreads to other parts of the world,” Zelensky said.
Military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is no longer limited to the supply of ammunition and military personnel. The transfer of Russian technology gives Pyongyang an opportunity to develop its own weapons production, while experience gained from the war against Ukraine could strengthen North Korea’s military capabilities in Asia, including against South Korea.
