Russia, North Korea plan to deploy 50,000 troops to western Russia, Ukraine intelligence says
By The South Asia Times
TOKYO - Russia and North Korea are considering a plan to dramatically expand Pyongyang's military presence in western Russia to 50,000 troops by the end of November, according to a provisional Russian military plan obtained by Ukraine's Defence Intelligence and reported by Japan's Kyodo News agency.
Under the proposed plan, North Korean units would be deployed across three western Russian regions bordering Ukraine—Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod—taking over most military duties in these areas.
This would free up Russian forces to be redeployed to the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow aims to capture the Donbas region—comprising Luhansk and Donetsk—by the end of the year.
A Ukrainian intelligence official said the plan is expected to receive final approval from the leaders of Russia and North Korea. The two countries signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in June 2024, which stipulates mutual military assistance in times of emergency.
The expansion comes as Russia seeks reinforcements following heavy battlefield losses. Ukraine estimates that more than 42,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in July alone.
While approximately 9,500 North Korean ground troops are currently deployed in Russia, the plan would increase the total presence to 50,000.
Separately, North Korea has recently begun deploying about 90 missile troops to Russia's southern Voronezh region, equipped with KN-23 and KN-24 short-range ballistic missiles. Ukraine's intelligence agency also reported that Pyongyang has provided Russia with an additional 40 ballistic missiles, some of which may have been used in strikes near Kryvyi Rih in late July and in the Zaporizhzhia region in early August.
In a video statement released Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that if North Korea gains combat experience through its involvement in Russia's war, it would mean "increased danger" to Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
"The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and other countries in the region," Zelenskyy said.
