Ukrainian president warns Moscow depends on Pyongyang, and the battlefield in Ukraine is becoming a training ground for the North Korean military. The consequences could be felt in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that for the first time in its history, Russia faces a situation where it can no longer wage war without direct support from North Korea. In his address, as reported by the Kyiv Post, Zelensky emphasized that Moscow is losing its strategic reserves and is increasingly dependent on military aid from Pyongyang.
"This is the first time in Russia's history that it no longer has strategic reserves. For the first time, it cannot wage war without North Korea's help," Zelensky said. According to his claims, Russia is now preparing to deploy an additional North Korean military contingent on its territory and has already received a new shipment of ballistic missiles from North Korea.
Zelensky warned that the war in Ukraine is effectively serving as a training ground for the North Korean military, noting that this experience may not necessarily remain confined to European soil. Every missile launched against Ukraine, he said, provides Pyongyang with valuable information about how their weapons behave in real combat conditions.
Likewise, every deployment of North Korean soldiers on the Russian side gives them direct combat experience against Ukrainian forces, including the use of Western weapons, drones, and modern battlefield tactics. "Everyone must understand what this means. This is not just about the lives of people in Ukraine, and it is not just about threats specifically to us," the Ukrainian president said.
In his address, Zelensky explicitly named Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines as countries that could ultimately face a significantly more capable North Korean military, thanks to the experience gained on the Ukrainian battlefield. This extends the warning far beyond Europe's borders, suggesting that the deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang carries global security implications.
With these statements, Zelensky continued to appeal to the international community for additional aid to Ukraine, while also trying to raise awareness among Asian allies about the potential long-term consequences of the current conflict dynamics for their own security.
