Zelenskyy: Russia seeks 30,000 more North Korean troops, rocket launchers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia has requested an additional 30,000 soldiers from North Korea to support its war effort against Ukraine.

"Preparations for their reception have been underway in the Russian region of Voronezh since June," Zelenskyy said late Saturday on the social media platform X. He also added that North Korea is preparing to deliver more rocket launchers to Russia.

Zelenskyy warned that the deployment of troops and the supply of rocket launchers pose a threat beyond Ukraine's borders.

"Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons, and gain real combat experience," he said. "This poses a threat to all people in Asia who are within range of North Korean missiles."

North Korea Reaffirms Support for Russia

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Moscow a few days ago and was received by President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, the North Korean state news agency KCNA reported that Pyongyang's support for the "entire domestic and foreign policy of the Russian Federation" was "unwavering."

Pyongyang has become one of Moscow's most important allies in the war against Ukraine, providing thousands of soldiers and weapons. In return, analysts say, Russia supplies the largely isolated North Korea with:

• Financial aid
• Military technology
• Food and energy deliveries

According to South Korean reports, an estimated 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the fighting.

AFP/shem