Story perspectives

Ukraine estimates 8,500 North Korean troops in Russia

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 3:33 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Russia Enlists Foreigners

Russia recruited 28,000 foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine, including thousands from Africa.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry estimates 2,982 African nationals joined Russia’s forces, with about 486 killed.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate estimates 8,500 North Korea servicemen remain in Russia, forming four brigades.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned 50,000 North Korea could be deployed, from 30,000.
North Korea earned about $10 billion from weapons sales and troop deployment, about a third of GDP.

Summary

Armenia Aids Emigrants

Alen Simonyan, Armenia's security council secretary, pledged assistance to Russians emigrating, sparking a Russian Foreign Ministry protest.
Kovcheg migration aid group reported inquiry volume rose nearly eightfold from May to the previous month.
Queer activist Daniil Neonov served a 10-day jail term for a rainbow T-shirt and fled to Yerevan.
A 35-year-old digital marketer called Russia a “digital jail” and switched VPN servers after thousands of sites were blocked.

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Russia Enlists Foreigners

Russia recruited 28,000 foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine, including thousands from Africa.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry estimates 2,982 African nationals joined Russia’s forces, with about 486 killed.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate estimates 8,500 North Korea servicemen remain in Russia, forming four brigades.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned 50,000 North Korea could be deployed, from 30,000.
North Korea earned about $10 billion from weapons sales and troop deployment, about a third of GDP.

1 / 2