Zelensky Warns of North Korean Troops Fighting Alongside Russia in Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that North Korean troops stationed in Russia's Kursk region have engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces, leading to casualties. Zelensky stated that around 11,000 North Korean soldiers are positioned in the region, hindering Ukraine's three-month military campaign into Russian territory.


“Eleven thousand North Korean soldiers or soldiers of the North Korean army are currently present on the territory of the Russian Federation in the border with Ukraine on the north of our country in the Kursk region,” Zelensky remarked at the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday. He confirmed that some of these troops have already engaged in hostilities against Ukrainian forces, with losses recorded. However, Zelensky did not specify which side incurred these losses.

Reports from The New York Times, citing high-ranking US and Ukrainian officials, indicate that a number of North Korean soldiers were killed in a recent skirmish involving Russian and Ukrainian troops.

This development surfaces as the United States and its allies assess how to respond to the deepening alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

In his first public comments on the recent US election, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed readiness to engage with Republican President-elect Donald Trump, noting that Trump’s suggestions on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine “deserve attention at the very least.” During a debate event in Sochi, Putin said, “We’re ready” when asked if he would hold discussions with Trump. Putin also praised Trump’s “courageous” actions following a July assassination attempt and congratulated him on his victory.

Trump’s election comes at a crucial time in the conflict. Ukraine’s army leader has warned of facing “one of the most powerful Russian offensives” since the war’s onset, placing intense pressure on the front lines. Zelensky, speaking from Budapest, expressed frustration, saying world leaders are not adequately addressing Ukraine’s requests for long-range weaponry, as the country now faces a “new wave of escalation” involving the military forces of another state.

US officials have cautioned that approximately 10,000 North Korean troops are expected to enter combat in the Kursk region. Zelensky voiced concern that without intensified pressure on Putin from Ukraine’s allies, North Korean forces might assume a larger role in the conflict. “We believe that if we do not use appropriate weapons and political pressure on the Russian Federation, the next step may be much more use of the North Korean contingent,” he said.

Comments