North Korea Is Deepening Its Role in Russia’s War in Ukraine

‘For the first time in its history,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Monday, “Russia cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea.” That was less a note of triumphalism than a warning. The DPRK isn’t just providing Russia with munitions anymore — they’ve become a source for ballistic missiles and even troops, as Zelensky observed. And the threat this expeditionary force poses is not limited to Ukraine.

“The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe,” he wrote, “the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and other countries in the region.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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‘For the first time in its history,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Monday, “Russia cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea.” That was less a note of triumphalism than a warning. The DPRK isn’t just providing Russia with munitions anymore — they’ve become a source for ballistic missiles and even troops, as Zelensky observed. And the threat this expeditionary force poses is not limited to Ukraine.

“The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe,” he wrote, “the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and other countries in the region.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.