Russia has begun using North Korean troops in large numbers in Ukraine, Zelensky said
Russia has deployed North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to support its invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s president said North Korean troops were reportedly used in an attack on Ukrainian troops defending a base in Russia’s Kursk region.
“Today, we already have the first information that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their attacks. A large number of them,” said Mr. Zelensky during his speech at night during the war.
Mr Zelensky warned that the North’s military deployment could extend to other areas of the war. Kyiv estimates that around 11,000 North Korean troops are in the region, reinforcing Russian forces.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said the North Koreans have already suffered.
“The Russians rely on numbers and try to carry out offensive operations with the help of the Koreans, where the task of the Koreans is to run under the blows of our forces and take some places,” Mr. Kovalenko wrote in Telegram.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky lays flowers at the site of a missile strike by Russia on December 10 in the city of Zaporizhzhia (press service of the president of Ukraine)
The Kremlin has neither confirmed nor denied North Korean military involvement.
Ukraine first reported the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region in October. This comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure to hold back territory it seized in August during an incursion into Russian territory. The operation, aimed at diverting Moscow’s forces, has drawn criticism for overstretching Ukrainian personnel on an already stretched front line.
While Kyiv insists the move was strategic, Moscow’s offensive has led to a rapid territorial gain in eastern Ukraine since 2022, although Russian troops have reportedly suffered heavy casualties.
A member of the Ukrainian tank crew of the 68th Jaeger Brigade walks next to a Leopard 1A5 tank on a break from combat (AFP via Getty Images)
Reports from the Ukrainian military indicate an increase in fighting in the Kursk area, including intense airstrikes, artillery fire, and glide-bomb attacks.
In a broader context, the North Korean military deployment underscores the deepening relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang. The two countries signed a defense pact in June, providing military assistance in the event of an attack. Since then, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with more than 100 ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells. In return, Moscow is said to have provided economic aid and support for Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
Mr Zelensky criticized the Kremlin’s actions, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging another dimension into the conflict. “In fact, Moscow has dragged another country into this war, and to the fullest extent possible. And if this is not an escalation, then where is the escalation that so many have been talking about?” he said.
The Ukrainian leader used his speech to encourage Western allies to strengthen their support for Kyiv. He is scheduled to meet with leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Nato, and the EU in Brussels next week to discuss military reinforcements.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of 15 Ukrainian aircraft overnight, including 13 over the Black Sea and two in Kursk and Belgorod regions.
More reporting by agencies
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