Zelenskyy says North Korea prepares to deploy another 10,000 troops to Russia

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday there are more than 8,000 North Korean troops on Russian territory and preparations are underway to deploy another 10,000 troops.

Citing "new data" on the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, Zelenskyy said in a post on X they were "being selected for training and subsequent deployment to Russia."

The Ukrainian president said in August that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to fight for Russia, and called on South Korea to provide support for Ukraine's air defence.

South Korea announced in July a US$100 million aid package for Ukraine, although it excluded lethal weapons.

Zelenskyy's comments on Monday came after Seoul and Kyiv were at odds over his announcement last week that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.

Seoul expressed regret over his announcement, citing an agreement to keep the transfer confidential. South Korea also protested against what it called a false statement from the Ukrainian presidential office denying that such a confidentiality agreement existed.

North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine since 2024, according to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates, with most deployed in the Kursk region to help repel a Ukrainian incursion.

Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, as well as ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems and multiple-launch rocket systems, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments.