Putin rallies North Koreans to fight Ukraine, Kiev says – POLITICO

“The coalition of criminals together with Putin currently includes North Korea – the Kim family, which enslaves more than 20 million Korean people. Our intelligence service records not only the transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia, but also the transfer of people,” Zelensky said as he presented his so-called victory plan to the Ukrainian parliament.

“These are workers for Russian factories – instead of Russians killed in the war. And personnel for the Russian army. This is the participation of the second state in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia,” Zelensky added.

The Kyiv Independent reported, citing an anonymous Western official, that Pyongyang has actually sent 10,000 troops to Russia so far to bolster its war effort in Ukraine.

Ukraine has previously said North Korea has been supplying Russia with missiles and ammunition since early 2024 as Moscow's forces advance on the battlefield.

In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that requires both countries to provide each other with military assistance if either country is attacked.

The Kremlin, in turn, described reports of North Korean troops preparing for battle as “another fake news.”