Russia plans to involve North Korea directly in the full-scale war against Ukraine this fall and winter, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 14, citing intelligence data.
The announcement comes a day after Zelensky warned of an "increasing alliance" between Moscow and Pyongyang.
According to Ukraine's military intelligence, Russia's plans for the fall and winter include "the actual involvement of North Korea in the war," Zelensky said.
The briefing also included updates on "Russia's relations with some other countries, that, unfortunately, are investing in prolonging the war," the president added.
Zelensky warned on Oct. 13 that Russia and North Korea were deepening their alliance, saying that the partnership had escalated to the point where North Korea was sending personnel to Ukraine's front lines along with weapons.
"This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces," he said.
The warning followed reports from South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun that North Korea is likely to deploy regular troops to Ukraine to aid Russia at the front.
Reports have also emerged in recent days that North Korean officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in Russian-occupied territory. The Kyiv Independent has not been able to verify these reports, which have not been confirmed beyond a single intelligence source.
North Korea has been supplying Russia with ballistic missiles and vast quantities of artillery shells since fall of 2023. Earlier this year, two countries signed a mutual defense pact during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang.
Putin submitted the treaty, which stipulates that either nation must render military assistance to the other in the event of an attack, to the Russian State Duma for ratification on Oct. 14.
Chris York
