Thousands of North Koreans are building military drones for Russia, report says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
Up to 25,000 North Korean citizens may be working at Russian drone manufacturing facilities, including in Alabuga. North Korean authorities present them as students to circumvent international sanctions, Bloomberg reports.
A report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (a group monitoring compliance with international sanctions) indicates that up to 25,000 North Korean citizens may be involved in Russia's drone manufacturing industry.
Some of them work at facilities in Alabuga, Tatarstan, where unmanned aerial vehicles are assembled.
How much money Kim's regime receives
Over the past year, North Korean workers abroad generated up to $800 million for Kim Jong Un's regime.
These funds are used to finance Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which violate UN Security Council resolutions.
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The average salary of a North Korean worker in Russia is about $7,500 per year;
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Most of this amount is taken by Kim's regime;
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In some cases, the amount taken even exceeds the worker's actual earnings.
Monthly salaries for North Koreans in Russia can be up to five times higher than in China. As a result, Russia is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Pyongyang.
By the end of 2025, between 20,000 and 70,000 North Korean workers were employed in China. In Russia, the figure was between 15,000 and 30,000.
North Korean authorities strictly control the movements of workers abroad and their contacts with foreigners to prevent defections.
Those who do attempt to escape risk having their family members who remain in North Korea face persecution.
Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
North Korea supplies Russia with millions of artillery shells and ballistic missiles and has also sent thousands of its troops to take part in combat operations against Ukraine.
In return, Russia provides Pyongyang with money, food, and military technology for its nuclear and missile programs.
According to Forbes, there are concerns in China that closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang could weaken Beijing's influence over North Korea.
There are also concerns that North Korea's growing military confidence could provoke new conflicts in the region.
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised in a letter to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia and said he believes in Moscow's victory in the war against Ukraine.
In the letter, he also reaffirmed his unwavering support for the Russian people.
