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Russia Wants 30,000 More North Korean Soldiers and Fresh Missile Launchers, Zelenskyy Warns
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia is preparing to deploy an additional 30,000 North Korean troops and receive new ballistic missile launchers from Pyongyang, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who cited Ukrainian intelligence during his evening address on July 25.
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Zelenskyy said facilities in Russia’s Voronezh region have been prepared since June to accommodate the additional North Korean personnel. He also stated that North Korea is preparing to transfer new launchers for ballistic missiles, likely together with ammunition.
“This is a threat not only to Ukraine. Russia is helping North Korea learn warfare, improve its weapons, and gain real combat experience. All of this is a threat to everyone in Asia within range of North Korean missiles. We will respond,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president also said intelligence indicates the Kremlin is preparing measures that could expand military mobilization later this year.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia has recruited approximately 221,000 personnel into its armed forces during the first seven months of 2026, while Russian losses over the same period have reached nearly 225,500 troops, including around 131,000 killed and almost 93,000 wounded.
He argued that these figures demonstrate Russia’s need for additional manpower, adding that Moscow is seeking to supplement its forces with North Korean personnel.
Concluding his address, Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its international partners must continue increasing pressure on Moscow to change the Kremlin’s strategic calculations.
“It is important that together with our partners we can put enough pressure on Russia so that thoughts of ending this aggression become dominant—thoughts of peace, not of additional Russian mobilization. Our long-range operations and our mid-strikes contribute to this. More and more Russians are noticing Putin’s war, suffering because of it, and thinking that the war should not be prolonged. We see this.”
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The reported plans come as Russia continues intensive missile strikes against Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and military intelligence (HUR), Russia produces about 60 9M723 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 40 RM-48U missiles for the S-400 system each month, for a total of roughly 100 ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian officials said that by July 19, Russia had already launched 107 ballistic missiles this month, exceeding its estimated monthly production. During the same period, Russian forces also fired 20 3M22 Zircon missiles, despite Ukraine estimating Russia will produce only about 30 of them throughout 2026.
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