Russia negotiating with DPRK for new mercenaries: Russian generals arrive in Pyongyang
Illustrative photo: the regime in North Korea is actively helping Russia wage war against Ukraine (Getty Images)
A delegation of the Russian regime has visited North Korea to negotiate the deployment of new North Korean mercenaries for the war against Ukraine. Preliminary reports indicate that Russia is seeking to recruit soldiers and sappers from North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong Un, Radio Svoboda informs.
It is noted that North Korea’s official propaganda outlet, the Korean Central Telegraph Agency (KCNA), confirmed the visit of a delegation of Russian military officials led by Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin.
On the North Korean side, the delegation was received by North Korea’s Defense Minister No Kwang Chol. The meeting between the militaries of the two dictatorships took place in Pyongyang on November 6. An interesting detail is that the Russian delegation was reportedly formed from officers of the military-political directorate of the Russian army (the ideological successor to the Main Political Directorate of the Soviet Army).
KCNA claims that Russia’s ambassador to North Korea, Aleksandr Matsegora, and several high-ranking North Korean officials also took part in the meeting. Goremykin and his subordinates also met with their "counterparts" — representatives of the main political bureau of the North Korean army.
KCNA reported that the talks had taken place in a friendly atmosphere and that the sides had discussed expanding and deepening bilateral relations under the strategic leadership of the two countries’ heads of state.
According to earlier reports from South Korean intelligence, around 10,000 North Korean mercenaries are currently stationed on Russia’s border with Ukraine, performing security functions.
In addition, Pyongyang has sent another approximately 5,000 mercenaries, who have been arriving in Russia since September. These are mostly military construction workers and sappers who will carry out demining and infrastructure restoration in the temporarily occupied territories.
Cooperation between Russia and North Korea: What is known
In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang. The document provides for mutual assistance in the event of "aggression" against either of the two countries.
After that, North Korea sent thousands of mercenaries to fight against Ukraine. The Russian regime was forced to acknowledge this officially only in April 2025 — after Ukrainian forces captured several North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region.
North Korea is also helping Russia with weapons and missiles — the Russian regime has received tens of millions of shells from Pyongyang, as well as hundreds of ballistic missiles. In addition, the North Korean regime is considering sending laborers to Russia to work in the production of Shahed attack drones.
