Kim Jong Un fears sending troops to Russia can weaken his regime, Ukraine's Defense Minister says
Photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Getty Images)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has considered sending additional troops to Russia but was afraid of weakening his own strategic reserve. After all, North Korea has already deployed 11,000 soldiers from elite units to Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, during a meeting with journalists.
According to Umerov, North Korea has already sent about 11,000 soldiers from the so-called elite contingent, out of Kim's personal reserve of 50,000 people, to the front. These troops underwent special selection based on physical, psychological, and other criteria. However, the units have already suffered significant losses.
Umerov also reported that Pyongyang considered the possibility of sending an additional contingent, but this could deplete North Korea’s strategic reserve and create a threat to Kim Jong Un's personal security.
The Minister noted that after the signing of intergovernmental agreements on mutual assistance, Russia is trying to use North Korea for its own interests without providing real support in return. This is causing concern even among the leadership of North Korea.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korean troops involved in combat are already undergoing a fourth wave of rotation, which indicates heavy losses and limited Russian mobilization reserves.
"The use by Russia of the elite North Korean contingent demonstrates not only the deepening dependence on totalitarian regimes but also real problems with the mobilization reserve. Together with our partners, we are monitoring these threats and will respond accordingly," Umerov stated.
North Korea's involvement in war
South Korean intelligence believes that Russia may be preparing for a new large-scale offensive in Ukraine in July or August 2025.
At present, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) are observing the reinforcement of Russian units with North Korean troops in the Kursk region.
At the same time, assessing the real impact of the participation of North Korean soldiers remains difficult due to the lack of precise data on their numbers, level of training, and ability to interact with Russian units.
As previously reported, North Korea had sent about 10,000 soldiers to Russia to support the war against Ukraine. Approximately half of this contingent was killed or wounded during fighting in the Kursk region.
