Zelensky dropped the bombshell on Monday. Citing "new data," the Ukrainian president stated that more than 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently on Russian soil. But that’s not the whole picture. He revealed that another 10,000 troops are being selected for training and subsequent deployment to support Russia’s war effort.
This isn’t just a minor troop shuffle. Zelensky warned in August that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could end up fighting for Russia. The numbers are climbing fast. Since 2024, Ukrainian and South Korean estimates suggest Pyongyang has already sent 14,000 to 15,000 troops, mostly deployed in the Kursk region to help repel the Ukrainian incursion.
The diplomatic fallout is already messy. Zelensky’s announcement came just days after Kyiv and Seoul clashed over the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul expressed regret, citing a confidentiality agreement. Ukraine’s presidential office then denied such an agreement existed, a statement Seoul called false.
North Korea’s support doesn’t stop at manpower. Pyongyang has supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems, and multiple-launch rocket systems, according to independent assessments. South Korea, meanwhile, announced a $100 million aid package for Ukraine in July, but it excluded lethal weapons. Zelensky has called on Seoul to provide air defense support, a demand that remains unmet.
The next move is expected from Moscow and Pyongyang. Ukraine’s intelligence agencies are watching for the arrival of the new 10,000 troops, which could significantly shift the balance on the Kursk front. For South Korea, the pressure to respond to both its ally and its neighbor is intensifying.