Ukraine's military intelligence chief says Russia recruited over 28,000 foreign mercenaries; around 8,000 North Korean troops deployed in Kursk region
Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said in an interview with The Times that Russia has recruited more than 28,000 foreign mercenaries to fight against it and is expanding military cooperation with North Korea. According to HUR estimates, around 8,000 DPRK troops are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk region, a figure that could grow to roughly 50,000.
Key points
- HUR chief Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko disclosed the figures in an interview with The Times.
- Ukraine's military intelligence estimates Russia has recruited over 28,000 foreign mercenaries.
- Around 8,000 North Korean troops are reportedly deployed in Russia's Kursk region, according to HUR.
- HUR says the number of DPRK troops in Kursk could rise to approximately 50,000.
- Ukraine is working to disrupt Russian foreign recruitment by sharing information with relevant security and intelligence services abroad.
- Ukraine also conducts non-kinetic operations to inform populations in source countries about Russian recruitment.
Why it matters
The 28,000-mercenary figure underscores Russia's reliance on outside manpower to sustain its war effort against Ukraine. The reported deployment of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region points to a widening internationalization of the conflict on Russia's side. Ukraine's efforts to counter Russian recruitment abroad show the information and intelligence dimension of the war extending into third countries.
What happened
Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said in an interview with The Times that Russia has systematically recruited foreign nationals to fight against Ukraine, with the total now exceeding 28,000 mercenaries. He described Ukraine's response as a combination of intelligence-sharing with foreign security services and non-kinetic operations aimed at informing populations in source countries about Russian recruitment. Ivashchenko said military cooperation between Russia and North Korea continues to deepen. According to HUR estimates, around 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently deployed in Russia's Kursk region, a figure that could grow to approximately 50,000.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian outlets center HUR and its chief Oleh Ivashchenko as the authoritative source on Russian foreign recruitment and North Korean troop movements. The coverage emphasizes the scale of Russia's foreign recruitment and pairs it with Ukraine's active counter-recruitment measures abroad, presenting North Korean involvement and mercenary recruitment together as part of a broader pattern of Russia drawing on external military resources.
Background
The figures come from Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and were disclosed by HUR chief Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko in an interview with The Times. Ukraine reports conducting non-kinetic operations aimed at informing populations in recruitment-source countries about Russian recruitment activities.