[Russia Is Preparing to Accept an Additional 30,000 North Korean Troops]

According to a report published on July 28, 2026, by the U.S. Institute for Strategic Studies (ISW): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is preparing to accept approximately 30,000 additional North Korean military personnel. Zelenskyy noted that due to high Russian battlefield casualties, since June 2026, Russia has been constructing multiple bases in Voronezh Oblast to receive another 30,000 North Korean soldiers as well as more North Korean ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy did not specify the exact timing of when these North Korean troops and weapons would arrive in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not respond to Zelenskyy’s remarks.

It is estimated that North Korea had previously dispatched around 15,000 soldiers to Russia, who assisted Russian forces in pushing Ukrainian troops out of Kursk Oblast between late 2024 and 2025, after which they primarily performed rear-area logistical support duties. It remains unclear what specific roles these newly arrived North Korean personnel will undertake or where they will be deployed within the conflict zone. The U.S. Institute for Strategic Studies (ISW) has found no verified reports indicating direct combat involvement of North Korean forces inside Ukraine. Given the risk of strong Western countermeasures, it is highly likely that both Russia and North Korea remain cautious about deploying North Korean combat units into occupied areas of Ukraine.

The South Korea National Institute for Security Studies (INSS) reported that North Korea earned a total of $620 million through four rounds of military deployment in 2026. The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Administration (HUR) previously disclosed that North Korea has supplied Russia with over 100 KN-23 and KN-24 type ballistic missiles, of which Russian forces have already used at least 80. This new round of troop deployment and missile deliveries is expected to bring substantial additional economic gains for North Korea while further deepening the military and strategic ties between Russia and North Korea.

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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872100927750155/

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