Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that Russia is preparing to deploy 10,000 North Korean soldiers to fight in Ukraine, citing intelligence information.

Zelensky, who has previously accused North Korea of aiding Russia, provided this specific figure for the first time. He stated that an undisclosed number of North Korean troops are already present on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.

"We know of about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea that they are preparing to send to fight against us," Zelensky said during a press conference in Brussels, following meetings with EU leaders and NATO defence ministers. He emphasized that the North Korean soldiers included both "land forces" and other tactical personnel.

The Ukrainian president warned that this move is a dangerous escalation, potentially marking "the first step to a world war." He also pointed to Iran's alleged support of Russia through the provision of drones and missiles, which Tehran has consistently denied.

Zelensky suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is turning to North Korean soldiers out of fear of domestic mobilization. Experts have previously speculated that North Korean missiles are being used by Russian forces in Ukraine, though both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied these claims.

This development follows Putin’s rare visit to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a mutual defence agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two nations, long-time allies since the end of World War II, have drawn closer since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.