As Russia deepens its alliance with North Korea, including inviting North Korean military units to participate in next year’s Victory Day celebrations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that North Korean soldiers deployed to Ukraine have been killed or wounded in combat.
In an interview with Kyodo News on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that more North Korean troops are being sent to the frontlines, where they are being used as cannon fodder by Russian forces amid ongoing fighting with Ukrainian troops. Zelenskyy did not specify the number of casualties among the North Korean soldiers.
The growing alliance between Russia and North Korea was highlighted during a recent visit to North Korea by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. On his visit, Belousov met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who invited North Korean military units to participate in Russia’s 80th anniversary Victory Day parade on May 9, 2025, in Moscow’s Red Square. Victory Day commemorates the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed European Union leadership reaffirmed its support for Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv on the same day, signaling continued Western backing for Ukraine’s defense efforts.