Zelensky: Russia Launches New Mobilization, Deploys 8,000 North Korean Troops

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on September 28, 2026 that Russia has already launched an additional mobilization wave, recruiting more fighters through various methods and planning to expand its use of foreign soldiers.

North Korean Troops in Russia

According to intelligence briefings presented to Zelensky, over 8,000 North Korean troops are currently stationed on Russian territory. An additional contingent of 10,000 is being selected for training before deployment to Russia. The exchange is not free: Russia is paying North Korea in military technology, and in return, production of Shahed-type strike drones has been set up on North Korean soil with Russian technical assistance.

Calls for International Sanctions

Zelensky called on governments of countries from which Russia is recruiting soldiers to resist these efforts. He pledged that Ukraine would individually inform each such government. The Ukrainian president also called for expanded sanctions, specifically citing the Lindsey Graham Act as well as EU and global measures that could exert financial pressure on Russia.

On the same day, Putin signed a new decree increasing the formal size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 — his fourth such expansion in 2026.