Zelensky Confirms North Korean Troops Deployed in Russia as War Escalates

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on November 7, 2024, that North Korean troops have engaged in deadly combat with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. According to Zelenskyy, 11,000 North Korean soldiers are currently present in the Russian border region, and some have already suffered fatalities during hostilities, as reported by CNN.

The deployment follows reports from The Guardian and NBC News that North Korea is sending up to 50,000 troops to assist Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy also stated that Russia has received ballistic missiles from North Korea and is preparing to deploy additional contingents, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

North Korean Combat Deployment in Kursk

Speaking to reporters at the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Hungary, on November 7, 2024, Zelenskyy specified that the North Korean presence is concentrated in the Kursk region, where Ukraine’s three-month military incursion into Russian territory has stalled. He confirmed that the clashes between the two forces have resulted in losses, though he did not specify which side suffered the casualties, according to CNN.

The New York Times reported earlier in the week that several North Korean troops were killed in a limited engagement involving both Russian and Ukrainian forces, citing senior officials from the U.S. and Ukraine. A retired admiral told CNN that the reliance on Pyongyang’s military “reflects Russian weakness.”

Russian Missile Strikes and Air Defense Shortages

Concurrent with the troop deployment, Russia launched a series of missile strikes on Kyiv that killed nine people and wounded 28 others, according to the Daily Mail. The attacks hit residential buildings, a school, supermarkets, and a car wash. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that at least 105 people were rescued from the rubble.

Zelenskyy stated that only one ballistic missile was intercepted during the night because of a shortage of missiles for the MIM-104 Patriot systems. He told the Daily Mail that this shortage of anti-ballistic defense systems encourages Russia to target human life.

The Russian defense ministry claimed the strikes targeted military enterprises and logistics centers in the capital and surrounding region, including the TPP-5 power plant and the Artem defense plant, according to the Daily Mail.

Maritime Conflict and the Yanina Cargo Ship

Ukrainian forces used a marine drone to sink the Yanina, a 13,000-ton cargo ship linked to Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, according to the Daily Mail. The vessel sank in international waters approximately 130 miles off the port of Novorossiysk. All 17 crew members were rescued.

Alexei Likhachev, the head of Rosatom, characterized the attack as “piracy and maritime robbery,” claiming the ship was a civilian container vessel carrying frozen products and construction materials. However, the vessel was owned by FESCO, which is part of the Rosatom group. The Daily Mail reports that Ukraine has damaged or destroyed more than 200 Russian “shadow fleet” and associated vessels since July 6.

Diplomatic Shifts and US Election Impact

The escalation in military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang occurs as the U.S. and its allies evaluate their response to the North Korean deployment. On November 7, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his victory and stated he is ready for dialogue, according to CNN.

Putin noted that Trump’s suggestions regarding ending the war “deserve attention at the very least.” Trump has previously claimed he could end the conflict in 24 hours, though he has not detailed the specific terms. Jill Dougherty, a former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, suggested such a plan could essentially “freeze everything in place,” potentially forcing Ukraine to make territorial concessions in Crimea and the Donbas.

Regarding the defense of Ukraine, Donald Trump told the Daily Mail he was “not sure” about allowing Ukraine to build Patriot missiles, stating that the U.S. must be careful about who it licenses such “extraordinary” equipment to.