North Korea Plans to Deploy up to 30,000 More Soldiers to Russia for War: Report
Jul 7
1 min read
News Summary
North Korea is reportedly preparing to send an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian military intelligence cited by CNN.
These troops are expected to arrive in the coming months and take part in combat operations, including large-scale offensives in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions.
Commentary
This confirms what our analysis has repeatedly emphasized: as the Russia-Ukraine war continues, Moscow is likely to demand even more troops from North Korea.
And for Kim Jong Un, deepening ties with Russia have become a critical lifeline—leaving him with little choice but to keep sending his own people into a foreign war.
This sets up a growing dilemma: how to satisfy Putin’s expectations while managing rising domestic unrest, especially within the military.
With an estimated 6,000 North Korean soldiers already killed or wounded, further deployments will almost certainly lead to even greater casualties.
The real test will be how the North Korean public—especially the families of the fallen, including those from elite circles—respond to seeing their young sacrificed for Kim’s survival.
