Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a warning about increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as well as intelligence sharing with Iran. According to assessments from Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is preparing to integrate an additional 30,000 North Korean troops, with preparations reportedly taking place in the Voronezh region since June. Additionally, North Korea is expected to supply Russia with more ballistic missile launchers.
Zelensky highlighted that this collaboration is not just an exchange of resources but also an opportunity for North Korean forces to gain experience with modern warfare and weapons systems. Ukraine has previously noted the use of North Korean ballistic missiles by Russian forces, including during a strike near Kryvyi Rih in July, although at that time, the findings were considered preliminary.
Furthermore, Zelensky revealed that Ukrainian intelligence has detected Russian satellite activities focused on the Gulf countries and U.S. military facilities since early July. He claimed that some of the imagery obtained through these satellites was shared with Iran, and this activity coincided with Iranian strikes before and after Russian attacks.
The Ukrainian president pointed out that Russian satellites concentrated their surveillance on four Middle Eastern air bases located in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait on July 19 and 20. Ukraine intends to share its intelligence on these developments with international partners to address the implications of this cooperation between Russia, North Korea, and Iran.