Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea is preparing to reinforce the Russian army with an additional 30,000 soldiers, with preparations underway in Russia's Voronezh region since June to receive them.
Pyongyang is also planning to transfer new ballistic missile launchers to Moscow, a move Zelenskyy warned poses a threat to countries within missile range of North Korea.
The disclosures come as Kyiv tracks Russia's force regeneration. Zelenskyy said 221,000 people joined Russian armed forces in under seven months of 2026, while Russian casualties over the same period reached nearly 225,500 — including 131,000 killed and roughly 93,000 wounded — underscoring the attrition driving Moscow's reliance on foreign fighters.