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North Korea to Triple Troop Presence in Ukraine, Backing Russia With Up to 30,000 Soldiers
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
North Korea is preparing to significantly expand its military presence in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Ukrainian intelligence warns, CNN reported on July 2.
According to an assessment obtained by CNN, Pyongyang may soon deploy an additional 25,000 to 30,000 troops to the front lines—tripling the number of North Korean soldiers already operating alongside Russian forces.
These reinforcements could arrive in the coming months, building on the 11,000 troops reportedly sent in November 2024. That earlier deployment played a role in halting a Ukrainian advance into Russia’s Kursk region.
Western officials estimate that approximately 4,000 North Korean troops were killed or wounded during that operation, but the losses appear to have only deepened military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency says the Russian Ministry of Defense is prepared to equip the incoming North Korean forces with weapons, ammunition, and gear to integrate them directly into Russian combat units. The report adds that there is a “great possibility” the new troops will take part in fighting across Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, particularly during upcoming large-scale offensives.
Earlier, Russia deployed its Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to Pyongyang and transferred equipment and technology to North Korea for the production of Shahed-type attack drones, according to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
