Zelensky stated that Russia requested 30,000 additional soldiers from North Korea to reinforce the invasion of Ukraine

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that Russia has requested the North Korean regime to send an additional 30,000 soldiers to reinforce its military offensive against Ukraine. According to the leader, Moscow has been organizing the deployment of this new contingent in the Russian region of Voronezh, near the border with Ukraine, from where it would later be transferred to various sectors of the combat front.

According to Zelensky, the incorporation of North Korean troops responds to the growing difficulties faced by the Russian Army in maintaining the pace of its military operations after more than four years of war. The president asserted that the high casualties suffered by Moscow's forces compel the Kremlin to seek external support to sustain the invasion and avoid a new massive mobilization of reservists within Russia.

The Ukrainian leader stated that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea continues to deepen and recalled that, in recent months, Pyongyang has already provided weaponry, artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and thousands of soldiers to support Russian operations. According to Kiev, several of those troops participated in combat in the Kursk region and in other areas near the border.

Zelensky warned that the eventual deployment of another 30,000 troops would represent a new escalation in the internationalization of the conflict. The president maintained that Russia seeks to compensate for the losses suffered on the battlefield through the support of allies like North Korea, while continuing to increase military pressure on various Ukrainian cities and positions.

Ukrainian authorities assert that the growing collaboration between both countries poses a threat to international stability and reiterated the call to their Western allies to maintain the supply of military and economic aid. Zelensky insisted that Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense capabilities, expand access to long-range weaponry, and maintain international support to confront the Russian offensive.

The president's statements come in a context of intensified fighting and an increase in drone and missile attacks by both sides. While Russia maintains its pressure on various Ukrainian regions, Kiev continues to carry out long-range operations against military and logistical targets within Russian territory.