In a major shift from previous denials, Russia has confirmed that North Korean soldiers are operating alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
On April 26, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, during a briefing with President Vladimir Putin, acknowledged that North Korean troops had participated in combat operations in the Kursk region against Ukrainian forces.
Russian state media quoted Gerasimov as praising the North Korean soldiers for their “high professionalism” and “heroism” on the battlefield.
This admission contradicts earlier statements by Kremlin officials, including press secretary Dmitry Peskov, who dismissed reports of North Korean involvement as “disinformation.” Moscow had consistently denied that Pyongyang was providing troops or weapons to support Russian military operations in Ukraine.
In a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea also confirmed the deployment of its armed forces to Russia.
The announcement cited an order from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued under the terms of a 2024 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang. The agreement, which formalized military cooperation between the two nations, was previously seen as a diplomatic gesture but now appears to have real-world implications on the battlefield.
According to KCNA, North Korea maintains that the deployment of its forces complies with the United Nations Charter and the terms of its bilateral agreement with Russia. Kim Jong Un described the mission as a “sacred duty to strengthen friendship and solidarity” between the two countries.
The disclosure highlights the Kremlin’s contradictory messaging, as Russian state propaganda struggles to reconcile past denials with present realities.
For months, reports of North Korean arms deliveries and potential troop deployments have circulated in Western intelligence assessments, but this is the first official confirmation from both Moscow and Pyongyang regarding the presence of North Korean forces on the Russian-Ukrainian front.