Zelensky denounces North Korea for reinforcing Russia with missiles and up to 50,000 soldiers
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, warned last August 16, 2026 about the use of North Korean missiles in a Russian airstrike that resulted in deaths and injuries. The Ukrainian leader also stated that a contingent of up to 50,000 Asian soldiers would be ready to join Russia’s armed forces.
The statements reignited the debate about North Korea’s growing support for Russia in the Ukrainian conflict, which has lasted five years with no signs of resolution. Under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, the Pyongyang regime has intensified the supply of human and military resources to the Kremlin, as Russian materials become more scarce as the war continues. This strategic alliance, formalized in a military cooperation treaty in June 2024, benefits both countries: Russia receives the necessary support for its military campaign, while North Korea solidifies its geopolitical position and can obtain technological or economic counterparts.
Zelensky had already mentioned on other occasions that missiles produced in Pyongyang were used in several Russian air raids on the territory of Ukraine.
One of these attacks, which gained repercussion for killing eight members of the same family last month, would be connected to a new shipment of North Korean ballistic missiles recently sent to Russia, according to reports from a Ukrainian official.
This new unit is made up of 120 projectiles distributed in six different launchers and has 90 North Korean soldiers to operate it. It will be positioned in the Voronezh border region, targeting attacks against Ukraine.
These weapons add to a vast list of military equipment that North Korea has supplied to Russia in recent years, following the strategic cooperation pact signed in June 2024, which guarantees military assistance to the ally in the event of external aggression.
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North Korean war items sent to Russia include more than 15 million munitions, combat vehicles, hundreds of ballistic missiles and artillery cannons, according to information from a war study institute and a conflict observer group made up of 11 member nations of the United Nations.
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In addition to weapons, Kim Jong-un also mobilized battalions of soldiers to act on the front line in Ukraine, a move that marked an unprecedented escalation in the conflict. Approximately 14,000 soldiers were sent between 2024 and 2025 – an action that, at the time, was described by the West as a “very serious and dangerous escalation” – and a new wave of up to 50,000 soldiers was being prepared to join the Russian Army, according to Zelensky.
Faced with the intensification of the flow of North Korean weapons and troops to Russia, North Korea has “intensified its engagement” with its ally, seeking to strengthen its global position amid the conflict, a North American economic institute said this month.
Another 30,000 North Korean workers have been sent to Russia in recent months to fill gaps in the Russian economy caused by the war, the war think tank said.
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All this military support raises the question of the extent of North Korea’s participation in the Ukraine war. Pyongyang justified the deployment of troops as a form of assistance to a “sister nation”, within the context of the bilateral treaty. In May 2025, Kim mentioned that North Korea’s participation in the conflict would be legitimate, justified by the need to protect its ally.
The impact of a new wave of 50,000 North Korean troops on the war is still uncertain, both in terms of the balance of forces and potential escalation between the countries involved. According to the war study institute, the conflict has entered a different phase in recent months, with Ukraine beginning a more vigorous campaign of air strikes on strategic targets on Russian territory, using medium and long-range missiles and drones.
Kiev also received aid from allies throughout the war, mainly in the form of long-range missiles, air defense systems and other military equipment, provided by the United States and European nations allied with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
On the same topic: Russian missile attack in Odessa results in worker death and port damage
With the stagnation of the front line, Ukraine’s war gradually turned into a “drone conflict”, with both countries widely using these devices for bombing enemy territory, complementing missile attacks.
Russia’s offensive in Ukraine “is facing difficulties”, according to the war study institute’s assessment, due to the almost imperceptible territorial advance compared to the high human cost. It is estimated that Russia has already lost the lives of almost 500,000 soldiers, with a total of 1.2 million casualties (including dead, injured and missing) to date.
The high number of casualties resulted in difficulties for Russia to recruit new military personnel. This situation may have led the Russian president to readmit wounded soldiers to the front and accept foreign reinforcements – both Moscow and Kiev employ mercenaries from other nations in the conflict.
There are also indications of a shortage of military equipment and weapons. See examples for both sides:
- Russia: the Victory Day parade in April did not feature heavy military vehicles for the first time since the start of the war;
- Ukraine: Failed to intercept any of the 23 ballistic missiles launched by Russia against Kiev in an attack on July 6.
Ukraine has managed to establish a robust front-line defense with its soldiers and a “wall of drones” even with a smaller number of troops, according to the war think tank.
More on this story: Russian bombings in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities leave people dead and highlight precarious defense
“Ukrainian defense has demonstrated resilience, while the Russian offensive faces challenges,” the war think tank said.
