North Korean Troops in Ukraine

Inching Towards a World War

Still image from a video of North Korean troops collecting Russian uniforms released by the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security

According to recent statements from President Zelensky and his military intelligence chief, North Korea is preparing to deploy 10,000 troops to serve alongside the Russian military in Eastern Ukraine. This claim follows earlier reports citing an unnamed Western source that this contingent had already arrived in Russia and that 18 North Korean personnel had allegedly deserted before being deployed to Ukraine. This development comes after months of North Korea providing direct material support to the Russian war effort, with current estimates suggesting that over one million shells have been delivered since August 2023.

The presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine should be a wake-up call to the administration. While Washington struggles to consistently provide already purchased and manufactured war material to Ukraine, the …