North Korean troops are coordinating reconnaissance and supporting Russian strikes against Ukraine, according to the UK Defence Ministry.
North Korea deployed approximately 11,000 troops to Russia's Kursk Oblast starting from October 2024, with forces entering combat operations in November.
A year later, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that the Russian leadership continues to deploy North Korean units in active combat due to critical personnel losses and the failed offensive operation in Sumy Oblast.
War as a testing ground for North Korean weapons
The British Intelligence has documented the first known instance of direct involvement of North Korean forces in operations on Ukrainian territory in October 2025.
Their drone operators were spotted assisting Russian forces in using multiple launch rocket systems to strike Ukrainian positions in Sumy Oblast.
Although North Korean troops likely conducted tactical strikes and reconnaissance operations earlier against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, their main role there was infantry, carrying out offensive combat operations against Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
"DPRK is likely seeking to exploit the afforded by the conflict to improve its warfighting capability, including UAS proficiency," the intelligence report said.
High-level command approval
The ministry added that any deployment of North Korean troops on Ukraine’s internationally recognized, sovereign territory must be approved by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
