North Korea refrains from deploying troops inside Ukraine to avoid heavy casualties – Zelenskyy
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un visits a special forces training base in North Korea, March 29, 2026 (Photo: KCNA via REUTERS)
North Korea has refrained from deploying its troops directly into Ukraine to avoid significant casualties after sending them to support Russia's war effort, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview on September 17.
North Korea has sent between 30,000 and 50,000 soldiers to Russia, and these troops have gained real-world combat experience rather than training in a digital simulator, Zelenskyy emphasized.
“For North Korea, it wasn't costly. They could only do it here: deploy, train, and return without significant losses – except when they chose to engage us in direct combat during the Kursk operation,” Zelenskyy said. “After that, they decided not to enter Ukrainian territory to avoid heavy casualties.”
However, Zelenskyy noted that North Korean soldiers are actively training alongside Russian drone operators. The Ukrainian leader warned that this battlefield experience poses a serious long-term threat, particularly to security in the Pacific region.
President Zelenskyy announced in late July that Ukraine had obtained reliable intelligence detailing Russia's upcoming autumn war plans, warning that Moscow was preparing to receive an influx of 30,000 additional North Korean troops.
“Russia wants to secure another 30,000 troops from North Korea, and preparations to receive them have been underway in Voronezh Oblast since June,” Zelenskyy said during a video address.
He added that North Korea is also preparing to supply Russia with additional ballistic missile launchers.
Zelenskyy announced during a national broadcast on August 8 that Russia plans to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops on its territory.
Zelenskyy announced on August 10 that Russia had received an additional shipment of North Korean ballistic missiles and was planning to deploy a second contingent of North Korean troops on its territory.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (HUR) reported on September 17 that North Korea has reinforced its military presence in Russia with a new contingent of 8,500 troops, including drone operators trained to strike targets inside Ukraine.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may also ask North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to deploy up to 50,000 additional troops to support the war effort.
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