Key points
- Kim Jong-un considered sending Russia additional military contingent from the elite reserve for the war against Ukraine.
- The transfer of additional troops could threaten Kim Jong-un's security by depleting the strategic reserve.
Kim Jong-un Considered Sending New Forces to Russia / Photo GettyImages
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un considered the possibility of sending Russia an additional contingent of troops to participate in the war against Ukraine. We are talking about elite fighters from North Korea's strategic reserve.
Channel 24 reports, citing Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in a comment to journalists.
What's Holding Back North Korea From Sending More Troops to Russia
Umerov said that the DPRK has already attracted about 11,000 military personnel from the elite contingent to the war against Ukraine.
These are fighters from Kim Jong-un's “personal reserve” of about 50,000 people, who were carefully selected based on physical, psychological and other criteria. According to available data, these units have already suffered significant losses.
There is also information that Kim Jong-un considered the possibility of transferring an additional contingent to Russia. However, such a decision could put his own security at risk, since we are talking about depleting the strategic reserve.
Let us recall that, according to South Korean intelligence estimates, the DPRK may send a new batch of its troops to Russia in July or August 2025. This is probably connected with the aggressor country's plans to carry out a new large-scale offensive.
