President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on October 14 that Russia intends to directly involve North Korea in its ongoing war against Ukraine in the coming months. He cited reports from Ukrainian military intelligence that indicated this shift from merely supplying weapons to actually transferring North Korean personnel to the Russian military.

Zelensky's statement followed allegations that several North Korean officers had been killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in occupied territories, prompting speculation about North Korea’s level of involvement in Russia's invasion. He remarked, "We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea," indicating that the relationship has evolved beyond arms exchanges to potentially include personnel transfers.

Despite these claims, definitive information on North Korea's participation remains limited. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un formalized a strategic defense agreement, with North Korea announcing plans to send an engineer unit to assist Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast the following month. However, no photographic or video evidence has confirmed that this deployment occurred, nor is it known if the recently reported casualties among North Korean officers were linked to this unit.

On October 4, Russian military bloggers claimed that North Korean personnel were at the front lines as part of an "exchange of experience" program. During this exchange, they reportedly observed Russian tactics for preparing defensive positions and assault operations. Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder stated that North Korean troops could become "cannon fodder" if they engaged in combat alongside Russian forces.

Reports of the deaths of six North Korean officers have not been substantiated beyond a single intelligence source, though South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun suggested earlier this month that the reports were likely credible. Zelensky did not provide additional evidence on October 13, and the Kyiv Independent has been unable to verify these claims.

An October 10 report from The Guardian mentioned an unnamed Ukrainian source stating that "dozens of North Koreans" were behind Russian lines to assist in launching missiles supplied by Pyongyang. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, suggested that North Korea might view deployment in Ukraine as an opportunity for its military to gain real-world combat experience and training.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed reports of North Korean military involvement as "fake news." However, a Washington Post article from October 11 quoted a Ukrainian military intelligence official saying that "several thousand" North Korean troops were undergoing training in Russia and could be deployed by year-end. While some North Korean officers were reportedly already in Ukraine in observation roles, no complete units have been confirmed on the battlefield.

The Institute for the Study of War noted that North Korean troop deployments could potentially relieve Russian forces to focus on priority areas, although their low quality might also create opportunities for Ukrainian exploitation. Additionally, there have been accounts of North Korean military or police personnel arriving to assist with "reconstruction efforts" in the occupied Donbas region earlier this year.

Regardless of the physical presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine, substantial evidence indicates growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. Facing international isolation due to its invasion of Ukraine and depleting ammunition supplies, Russia has increasingly relied on weaponry from North Korea. This partnership was solidified during Putin's visit to Pyongyang in late June, where both leaders agreed to support each other in the event of attacks.

Reports from August suggested that North Korea had shipped containers potentially containing over six million artillery shells to Russia, which in exchange provided technology for deploying spy satellites, tanks, and aircraft. According to The Times, half of the artillery shells utilized by Russia in Ukraine are supplied by North Korea. Although many of these shells are believed to be defective, their volume has significantly aided Russia's military operations, including recent territorial gains in Donetsk.

South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik noted that North Korea had also sent numerous ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine. However, concerns have been raised regarding their reliability, as approximately half of the North Korean missiles fired by Russian forces have malfunctioned and exploded mid-air.