A Ukrainian military intelligence official, speaking anonymously, told The Washington Post that “several thousand” North Korean infantry soldiers are currently training in Russia and could be deployed to Ukraine by year’s end.

The prolonged war has significantly drained Russia’s reserves of military equipment and ammunition, leading it to depend on countries like North Korea for artillery rounds and missiles. North Korea  has reportedly sent over 1.5 million artillery shells to Russia from their stockpiles dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.

The official added that North Korean officers are already present in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine to observe and study the battlefield, according to the Washington Post.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun described reports of North Korean troops aiding Russia as “highly likely” during a National Assembly meeting. 

“Russia and North Korea have an agreement that is basically a military alliance, so it is highly likely that North Korea would send additional troops,” he stated.

Though North Korea’s weapons are largely based on outdated Soviet-era designs, they have been modified in ways that require on-site guidance, explains Cha Du-hyeogn, a former South Korean intelligence advisor and current analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. 

Cha also suggests that this indicates Pyongyang may be supplying not just basic artillery shells, but also more complex systems like armored vehicles, missiles, and multiple rocket launchers, which demand hands-on supervision.

This military support follows a mutual defense pact signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024. The agreement deepened the partnership between these two heavily sanctioned states.

While the Kremlin has dismissed claims of North Korean military personnel in Ukraine as a “hoax,” the Ukrainian military intelligence official confirmed to The Washington Post that a recent missile strike resulted in the death of North Korean officers integrated with Russian forces.

A Ukrainian missile strike near Donetsk City on 3 October reportedly killed 20 Russian soldiers, including six North Korean officers, according to Ukrainian intelligence sources. These North Korean officers were allegedly meeting with Russian counterparts, potentially reflecting increased foreign involvement on Russia’s side in the Ukraine war.

In early 2024, missile debris from attacks on Kharkiv was identified as North Korean in origin, confirmed by arms researchers and documented by the UN. Since then, Russia has been using at least 20 North Korean-made weapons against Ukraine, which have caused civilian casualties and injuries. 

Related:

• North Korean officers killed in missile strike in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian intel sources say
• Blinken: US must halt Russia’s military cooperation with Iran, North Korea, and China
• The NYT: North Korea defies Western sanctions, continues supplying Russia with short-range ballistic missiles
• North Korea’s arms shipments to Russia surge, intelligence report reveals