Skip to content

Russia to receive 30,000 North Korean troops, Zelensky says

newsJul 25, 2026232,088

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 25 that Russia is preparing to receive an additional 30,000 North Korean troops to support its war in Ukraine and that preparations have been underway in Russia's Voronezh region since June. Zelensky said North Korea is also preparing to transfer additional launchers for ballistic missiles to Russia. Kyiv has previously accused Pyongyang of supplying ammunition and other weapons and of deploying troops; Ukraine says about 12,000 North Korean soldiers participated in Russia's 2024 counteroffensive in Kursk Oblast. Zelensky warned that Russian training and battlefield cooperation help North Korea improve its weapons and gain combat experience, which he called a threat to Asian countries within range of North Korean missiles. The announcement underscores a deepening military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang that has continued since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelensky tied expanded Russia North Korea cooperation to broader links involving China and Iran in economic activity in Russian-occupied Ukraine. Next steps to watch include whether the reported troop movements and ballistic launcher transfers proceed and whether partners provide additional intelligence or diplomatic responses.

MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦
@maks23.bsky.social

🇺🇦‼️🇮🇷 Zelensky: I will instruct intelligence to pass on to our partners the information we have about Russia’s new assistance to Iranian regime. Since the beginning of July, we have been recording active satellite photography by Russia of Gulf countries and American military facilities.

66145d ago
Leah McElrath
@leahmcelrath.bsky.social

Iran accuses Ukraine of attacking an Iranian vessel, and Zelensky accuses Russia of aiding Iran with surveillance and targeting. At the risk of stating the obvious, war convergence is not good and could get out of control quickly.

30645d ago
Jake Broe
@realjakebroe.bsky.social

Ukraine has begun a devastating drone strike campaign on all of Russia's Wildberries distribution centers. President Zelensky has replaced General Syrskyi with General Mykhailo Drapatyi. MAGA influencer Laura Loomer is in Ukraine and was able to interview Zelensky.

27545d ago
2 sources