Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warns that Russia is preparing to bring approximately 30,000 North Korean soldiers to participate in the war against Ukraine. In separate reporting drawn from Zelensky’s statements, both sources describe the claimed figure as an additional force that could be deployed to the conflict. The reports frame the warning as part of Zelensky’s ongoing public briefings about foreign support to Russia, particularly military personnel and other forms of assistance.
Neither source provides independent verification of the claim or details about where the troops would be deployed, their readiness, or the timeline beyond Zelensky’s warning that the soldiers are “about to join” or to be brought into the conflict. The reports also do not include supporting documents or on-the-ground observations. As with other allegations of external military involvement, the claims are presented as Zelensky’s account, while the articles do not cite definitive confirmation from Russian or North Korean officials.
