Zelensky: North Korea to send 10,000 more troops to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said North Korea is preparing to send 10,000 additional soldiers to Russia, with over 8,000 North Korean troops already on Russian territory. No Russian or North Korean confirmation was immediately available. Zelensky cited Ukrainian intelligence, claiming Russia is also planning a new mobilization and increased foreign involvement. He said Russia pays for North Korean troops with technology, and Shahed attack drones are now produced in North Korea with Russian technical support. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the army's size by 15,500 soldiers to 2,441,630 total. Russia plans record military spending of 17.1 trillion rubles by 2027, while Ukraine is delaying reconstruction projects due to delayed allied aid.