Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on the 25th (local time) that Russia wants to receive an additional 30,000 troops from North Korea and is preparing to deploy them near the border.

In an evening address posted on X (formerly Twitter) that day, President Zelenskyy said, "Russia wants an additional deployment of 30,000 troops from North Korea," adding, "Preparations to accommodate them have been underway in Russia's Voronezh region since June."

Voronezh, located in southwestern Russia, shares a border region with Ukraine.

President Zelenskyy also stated, "North Korea is preparing to deploy additional ballistic missile launchers to Russia," and noted, "This is not only a threat to Ukraine."

He further added, "Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons, and gain combat experience," warning that "all of this poses a threat to various Asian countries within the range of North Korean missiles."

Previously, North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense treaty during a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. Based on this, North Korea began dispatching troops to Russia in October of that year.

North Korea is estimated to have sent about 20,000 troops, including combat and engineering units, to the Kursk region across four deployments. According to reports by the U.S.-based North Korea-focused media outlet NK News, citing Ukrainian intelligence reports, about 14,000 troops were stationed there as of early this year.

Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui paid an official visit to Russia on the 18th.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on the 19th that President Putin expressed his gratitude once again to the North Korean leadership for their assistance in carrying out the special military operation (the war in Ukraine).

(Photo: Pyongyang Korean Central News Agency, Yonhap News)