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North Korea to Send More Troops to Russia for Planned Offensive in Ukraine, Intelligence Warns
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
North Korea is reportedly preparing to send additional troops to Russia as early as August 2025 in a move that could further deepen its military cooperation with Moscow during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to South Korean intelligence officials cited by Reuters, this deployment may be aligned with a planned large-scale Russian offensive on the Ukrainian front.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea briefed lawmakers in a closed-door session, where parliamentarian Lee Seong-kweun stated that “the additional deployment of North Korean forces is expected in August.” He added that Pyongyang has already initiated a new wave of troop mobilization in anticipation of the transfer.
The assessment comes amid continued reports of arms transfers from North Korea to Russia. Pyongyang has been supplying artillery shells and missiles to the Russian military. In return, it is reportedly receiving technical assistance from Moscow, particularly in satellite launch technologies and missile guidance systems.
This exchange is part of a broader strategic alignment between the two countries, formalized in June 2024 when Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense pact during a summit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The agreement has since facilitated the expansion of military and technological cooperation.
In May 2025, a senior official from Russia’s Security Council visited North Korea, a development South Korean officials view as part of ongoing coordination efforts between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The potential deployment of North Korean forces and the continued arms transfers have raised concerns among regional actors. Officials from South Korea and the United States have publicly condemned North Korea’s involvement, warning that such actions contribute to the escalation of the war and further isolate Pyongyang on the international stage.
Earlier, South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Agency reported that North Korea had shipped around 28,000 containers of weapons to Russia since October 2024—equivalent to over 12 million 152 mm artillery shells—and deployed approximately 13,000 military personnel, including combat troops and engineers, to assist Russian operations in Ukraine.
