North Korea to send 30,000 troops to Russia, Ukrainian intel reveals

This picture taken on April 4, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on April 5, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (front L) meeting with soldiers before a commemorative photo as he visits a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces to observe a comprehensive training session, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)

North Korea is preparing to significantly increase its military support to Russia by sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 troops to the front lines in Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by CNN.

The report, prepared by Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency, indicates that these troops could arrive in Russia within the next few months. This deployment would follow the arrival of roughly 11,000 North Korean soldiers in November, some of whom reportedly helped repel Ukrainian advances in Russia’s Kursk region. Of those previously deployed, around 4,000 were either killed or wounded, Western officials told CNN.

A Western intelligence source also confirmed the Ukrainian estimate, stating they had independently seen intelligence pointing to the possible deployment of up to 30,000 additional North Korean troops.

According to the Ukrainian assessment, Russia’s Ministry of Defense is prepared to equip the incoming soldiers with necessary arms, ammunition, and gear, with the objective of integrating them into Russian combat units. The document warns that there is a high probability these troops will engage in direct combat in occupied Ukrainian territories, possibly supporting large-scale Russian offensives.

The assessment also notes signs that Russian military aircraft are being retrofitted to transport personnel—an indication of the extensive logistical operation required to move tens of thousands of North Korean troops across Russia, particularly through Siberia, which borders North Korea in the far southwest.

Satellite imagery obtained by CNN appears to support the assessment, showing recent activity linked to the potential deployment. This includes the arrival of a vessel associated with last year’s North Korean troop movements at a Russian port and cargo planes spotted at North Korea’s Sunan Airport.

CNN's review of the intelligence suggests deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, despite heavy losses in earlier deployments.