Illustrative image. (Korean Central News Agency)
North Korea has expanded its military support for Russia to include a specialized unit of drone operators, CNN reported on August 21, citing a senior Ukrainian intelligence official.
Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskiy, deputy head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, told the news network that a new contingent of North Korean personnel deployed to Russia includes roughly 400 drone operators.
The deployment is part of a broader force of 8,500 North Korean troops currently stationed within Russian territory, primarily in the Kursk region, per the report.
According to Skibitskiy, many of the North Korean drone operators have gained tactical experience from previous deployments.
While the intelligence suggests these troops are unlikely to fight directly on the front lines inside Ukraine, their presence in the Russian rear is expected to bolster Moscow’s logistics and defensive capabilities, effectively freeing up Russian frontline units for offensive operations.
The North Korean contingent in Russia also includes approximately 1,000 engineers and deminers, according to the report.
Skibitskiy also claimed that North Korea has supplied at least 150 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles to Russia since last year, with another 120 reportedly promised. Reuters reported on the alleged missile shipment earlier this week, but Kyiv is yet to present any evidence backing its claims.
Russia and North Korea have consistently deepened their alliance since the 2024 signing of their mutual defense agreement.
Recent Ukrainian intelligence claims appear to be tied directly into Kyiv’s urgent push for more Western support, particularly advanced air defense systems.
Ukraine is currently facing a severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles to shoot down incoming Russian ballistic missiles. At the same time, the United States and European allies are dealing with critically low stockpiles of their own, making it harder to fulfill Kyiv’s requests before winter.
By calling attention to the growing involvement of North Korean troops and missile shipments, Ukrainian leaders are trying to pressure international partners—and specifically push South Korea to drop its strict ban on exporting lethal weapons—to secure more air defense shipments.
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