Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that North Korea is preparing to deploy an additional 20,000 to 25,000 troops to Russia, drawing attention to the credibility of this intelligence.
According to RBC Ukraine on February 2 (local time), Zelensky stated in an interview with the Associated Press (AP) that Ukraine had received information indicating a large-scale North Korean troop deployment to Russia.
“We have information that an additional 20,000 to 25,000 North Korean soldiers could be moving to Russia,” Zelensky said. However, he did not specify when the additional deployment might take place, adding that “they have not yet arrived at the front lines.”
Despite Zelensky’s remarks, the AP’s published interview did not include any mention of North Korea’s additional troop deployment. This has led to speculation among experts that the information source may not yet be fully verified, causing it to be omitted from AP’s report.
Since November 2023, North Korea has reportedly sent around 11,000 troops to Russia. If Zelensky’s claim proves accurate, the total number of North Korean forces in Russia would surpass 30,000, equivalent to two full divisions.
Military analysts suggest that if North Korea has already suffered over 4,000 casualties, as reported by Western intelligence sources, it may need to replace its existing troops with fresh forces.
“If the reported 4,000 casualties are accurate, North Korea may need to rotate its units,” said Yang Wook, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. “There is also speculation that North Korea could deploy up to 100,000 of its 200,000 light infantry troops to Russia.”
Yang added that North Korea appears to be fully committed to troop deployments as a means to overcome its economic crisis and secure advanced military technology from Russia.
Recently, media outlets such as The New York Times (NYT) reported that North Korean troops were retreating from the front lines in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian officials dismissed these reports, asserting that the withdrawal was merely a “tactical redeployment” and that even more North Korean troops would be sent in the coming weeks.
BY MOONHEE WI, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
