North Korea boosts Russia’s war effort with 30,000 fresh troops: Report

North Korea is reportedly preparing to deploy 30,000 more troops to assist Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s intelligence network. This move would triple the number of North Korean soldiers already sent to support Moscow.

Earlier this year, Pyongyang dispatched nearly 12,000 troops to help Russia reclaim the Kursk region. Now, the country plans to increase its military presence along the frontlines to enable “large-scale offensive operations,” CNN reported.

Ukraine’s intelligence assessment indicates that the Russian Ministry of Defense has assured it can provide training, weapons, equipment, and ammunition needed to rapidly deploy North Korean soldiers to the front.

The warning coincides with reports of a large ship and cargo aircraft arriving at North Korea’s Sunan airport, both linked to last year’s troop deployment to Russia, according to CNN.

This intelligence aligns with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), which warned last week that Pyongyang could send additional troops and weapons to Russia as early as July or August.

The NIS also noted that Russia is preparing a large-scale offensive against Ukraine within the next two months, with plans to utilize thousands of North Korean fighters.

Independent analysts have similarly predicted a renewed Russian assault this summer following months of stagnation on the battlefield.