Sep 16, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia plans to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean soldiers to Russian territory, claiming Pyongyang is studying modern warfare tactics. Zelenskyy called on South Korea to provide air defense support amid concerns the threat could extend beyond Ukraine.
A North Korean ballistic missile unit has begun deploying to Russia's Voronezh Oblast with plans to field up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. The deployment represents a significant expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Pyongyang for a two-day visit beginning June 7, 2026, his first trip to North Korea since 2019. Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrated what they called the 'unbreakable' bond between their countries and pledged to strengthen exchanges in diplomacy, law enforcement, and military cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov unveiled a memorial in Pyongyang commemorating North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine. Kim reaffirmed support for Russia's 'sacred war' and discussed long-term military cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a friendship treaty during meetings in Pyongyang, with Lukashenko gifting Kim a gun. The agreement marks what officials called a 'fundamentally new stage' in relations between the two Russia-aligned states.