Ukraine Says North Korean Troops Aiding Russian Attacks

Ukrainian forces claimed on the 16th that they had secured evidence of North Korean troops directly participating in attacks on Ukrainian te...

Ukrainian forces claimed on the 16th that they had secured evidence of North Korean troops directly participating in attacks on Ukrainian territory. This marks an escalation beyond Russia’s stated goal of “defensive support,” elevating it to “supporting the invasion of Ukraine.” If confirmed, it could lead to strengthened U.S. and Western support for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian General Staff stated that day, “Russian forces are deploying North Korean units stationed in Kursk to the Sumy-Zhytomyr operation,” adding, “These units are aiding Russian artillery attacks on Ukraine through reconnaissance missions using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).” As evidence, the General Staff released footage allegedly showing North Korean soldiers operating drones, describing it as “part of scenes restored from storage devices of reconnaissance drones shot down in the Sumy-Zhytomyr region.” The full video reportedly includes scenes of soldiers in North Korean uniforms checking coordinates of Ukrainian targets on screens and communicating with Russian artillery units. Ukrainian media outlets, including the *Kyiv Independent*, reported, “This is the first confirmed case of North Korean troops’ involvement in attacks on Ukrainian territory.”

According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Western intelligence authorities, and testimonies from North Korean prisoners of war, North Korea has deployed approximately 15,000 personnel to Russia from November last year to the present. Until now, these troops have only engaged in combat in Russia’s Kursk region. Under the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement (North Korea-Russia Treaty)” signed in June last year, military support between the two countries is focused on “defense against foreign invasions.” If North Korean troops are deployed to attack Ukrainian territory, they could be legally regarded as directly invading Ukraine under international law. The Russian presidential office (Kremlin Palace) has also maintained, “North Korean troops are stationed only on Russian territory and are not deployed to Ukrainian territory.”

However, some in Ukraine have continued to express concerns that “as Russian troop losses intensify, it is only a matter of time before North Korean troops engage in attacks on Ukrainian territory.” Russia reportedly drove back Ukrainian forces in the Battle of Kursk in May of this year and has since focused attacks on the bordering Sumy-Zhytomyr region. However, with the war stalemated in recent months and casualties mounting, Ukrainian forces assess that North Korean troops have begun being deployed for reconnaissance and artillery support missions.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, cooperation between Russia and North Korea continues to expand. Since last year, North Korea has supplied artillery shells, rocket rounds, and short-range ballistic missiles, followed by the large-scale deployment of combat troops. In return, Russia is reportedly transferring submarine and drone technology to North Korea and directly supporting the development of Shahed-type attack drones.

A Western intelligence official stated, “If confirmed, this would constitute a violation of UN sanctions against North Korea and a clear breach of international law,” adding, “Additional joint responses will be unavoidable.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Washington on the 17th for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss support for Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles, which can target the entire western region of Russia. While the U.S. has been cautious due to concerns over Russian backlash, the emerging evidence of North Korean involvement in attacks on Ukrainian territory could influence a shift in its stance.