Russia Possibly Recruited N. Korean Workers to Build Attack Drones, Ukrainian General Says
Russia may be relying on as many as 20,000 North Korean laborers to help build weapons, including tactical unmanned aerial systems, according to Ukraine’s top general.
Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Andriy Hnatovsaid said that the workers appear to be based in Yelabuga, a town in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, where Geran loitering munitions — Russia’s version of the Iranian-developed Shahed kamikaze drones — are being manufactured.
He noted that the figures still need confirmation, according to state-owned news agency Ukrinform.
“North Korean workers are also involved in the production of military goods, in particular the Geran drones … about 20,000 North Korean workers were involved. That is also participation in the conflict,” Hnatov told the outlet.
Hnatov also verified that North Korean troops are present in Russia’s Kursk region, which the region’s acting governor Alexander Khinshtein revealed in early September.
Moscow calls them engineering units sent to clear mines, but Ukraine has not seen them take part in recent fighting.
North Korea has become one of Russia’s main partners in its war on Ukraine, sending artillery, missiles, and soldiers.
In late 2024, Pyongyang deployed 11,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia, with around 2,000 killed in combat. South Korea’s spy agency later reported plans for another 6,000 troops to join.
Increasing Dependence on Foreign Labor
Reports in August 2025 suggested Moscow could bring in even more North Korean labor, possibly tens of thousands, pointing to its increasing reliance on outside help to keep weapons production going.
North Korea has a history of dispatching citizens abroad for hard labor to generate revenue for the regime, despite United Nations bans.
If confirmed, the role of these workers in Russia’s defense industry would mark a deeper military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang.
