Zelenskyy: Russian Military Presence in Ukraine Triples, Escalating Security Risks for Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the increasing military threat from Russia, emphasizing the need for strong security guarantees to ensure Europe’s safety.

According to Zelenskyy, the Russian military presence in Ukraine has tripled since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, now numbering over 600,000 troops.

The President made the statement during his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on January 21.

“Today, 608,000 Russian troops are stationed on Ukrainian territory. This is three times the size of the force that initially invaded in 2022. When people say there is enough aid, compare the circumstances then and what we are facing now,” said Zelenskyy.

The President highlighted the shifting dynamics of international military assistance, noting that while US support accounted for 90% of Ukraine’s capabilities at the start of the invasion, domestic production now constitutes 40%, with American aid contributing another 40%, and European support slightly trailing.

“This marks a significant change,” he explained. “We sustain our efforts through the rapid growth of our domestic defense production, as well as increased output in Europe and the United States. However, this remains insufficient because our needs have grown exponentially, and Europe has not scaled up at the same rate.”

Zelenskyy also pointed to Russia’s intensification of its own weapons production, with approximately 30 defense factories operating in Russia compared to 45 across Europe. Despite having fewer facilities, Russian production outpaces Europe nearly twofold.

“They are investing everything into this effort, while Europe underinvests, even though it has greater technical capabilities. Without robust security guarantees, production will decline, leaving us dependent on ourselves and Europe, which is not enough,” he warned.

Zelenskyy stressed the importance of unity between the United States and Europe to counter the growing threat. He cautioned that if security measures falter, Russian leader Vladimir Putin could return with an even larger military force.

“If strong security guarantees are not in place, Putin will undoubtedly return, and his forces could be ten times larger than the group that invaded in 2022. His goal would be the complete occupation of former Soviet republics and the intimidation of EU nations, much like what happened with Crimea,” he said.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that 4,000 North Korean soldiers out of 12,000 deployed alongside Russian forces in Kursk have been killed. He described Russia’s alliances with North Korea and Iran as aimed at undermining Europe and the United States, highlighting the heavy troop concentration in the region.