North Korea May Send 100,000 Troops to Support Russia’s War in Ukraine, Bloomberg Reports

North Korea is reportedly considering deploying up to 100,000 troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, according to assessments from some members of the G-20 countries cited by Bloomberg.

The deployment of North Korean troops is not imminent, according to sources. If implemented, military support of this scale would likely occur in phases, with soldiers rotating over time rather than being sent in a single wave.

Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Ambassador to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, expressed similar concerns. Speaking to Voice of America, he stated that Kyiv anticipates up to 15,000 North Korean soldiers could be deployed to fight in Russia’s Kursk region and potentially in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine. These forces, he added, might be rotated every few months.

Furthermore, North Korea’s M1989 Koksan howitzer has reportedly been spotted in Russia, transported by rail. While the exact location and date of the photographs remain unverified, the distinctive five-wheel tracked chassis of the Koksan suggests it is the same 170mm self-propelled howitzer capable of ranges up to 60 kilometers with rocket-assisted rounds.

If confirmed, its deployment could bolster Russia’s long-range artillery capabilities, particularly for counter-battery operations against advanced Ukrainian systems like the PzH2000, CAESAR, and Bohdana.

In addition to manpower, North Korea has already supplied Russia with artillery shells, long-range rocket systems, and other military equipment, according to Ukrainian intelligence.