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North Korea Could Deploy Up to 100,000 Troops to Russia for War Against Ukraine
According to Bloomberg, North Korea may send as many as 100,000 soldiers to Russia if the alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow continues to strengthen.
The report notes that such a large-scale deployment is not guaranteed and would likely be carried out in phases, with troops rotating over time rather than being deployed all at once.
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Ambassador to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, estimated that up to 15,000 North Korean troops might already be stationed in Russia’s Kursk region and potentially in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, rotating every few months.
Background:
- North Korea reportedly seeks access to Russian missile, nuclear, and other military technologies in exchange for its support in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently confirmed Russia’s use of North Korean soldiers in the war.
- On October 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced intelligence indicating that North Korean troops would begin participating in combat zones on October 27–28.
U.S. and Ukrainian Reactions:
- On October 28, the Pentagon revealed that North Korea had sent around 10,000 soldiers to Russia for training and eventual deployment in combat against Ukraine in the coming weeks.
- Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder confirmed that a smaller number of these troops have already arrived in the Kursk region.
- Ukraine’s Defense Forces engaged North Korean troops for the first time, as confirmed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on November 5.
South Korean intelligence also reported that North Korean forces deployed to the Kursk region are actively participating in combat against Ukrainian forces.
The U.S. has stated that Ukrainian forces are authorized to use American-supplied weapons against North Korean troops if they join the war on Russia’s side.
Read also: Russia exploits OSCE merely as platform to cover up its aggressive actions – Ukraine’s delegation
