North Korean Troops in Russia’s Kursk Region Reach 11,000, Zelenskyy Says

11,000 North Korean soldiers have been stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in an evening address on November 4.

This update came after high-level briefings from Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Anatolii Barhylevych, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Ukraine’s ongoing Kursk operation.

Additionally, Ukraine’s military intelligence and foreign intelligence services briefed Zelenskyy on the North Korean forces currently stationed within Russian borders.

“There are now 11,000 North Korean soldiers stationed in Kursk,” Zelenskyy stated.

“We are witnessing an increase in North Korean forces on Russian soil, but regrettably, not an increase in reaction from our international partners.”

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“For nearly three months, our active measures in the Kursk area helped establish a critical 'sanitary zone' close to our national border,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that the importance of this operation is not only for security but for bolstering Ukraine’s POW exchange efforts with Russia, noting that the operation “has greatly contributed to the release of our people from Russian captivity.”

Earlier, Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on South Korea to bolster its support for Ukraine in light of North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia.