Nearly 700,000 Russian troops deployed in Ukraine
Ukrainian military intelligence reports that nearly 700,000 Russian personnel—including National Guard units, special forces, and support troops—are currently deployed in Ukraine. The majority are concentrated in Donetsk Oblast, highlighting Moscow’s strategic priorities, according to HUR spokesperson Andrii Yusov.
Ukraine’s armed forces number nearly 900,000 nationwide. President Volodymyr Zelensky noted earlier this year that Russia maintains a numerical advantage in some front-line sectors due to concentrated troop deployments, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Despite reportedly suffering over 1 million casualties since the start of the war, Russia has continued to replenish its forces with contract soldiers. Meanwhile, Kyiv faces critical manpower shortages.
Russia has also received support from North Korea. An initial batch of 11,000–12,000 North Korean troops was deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast in late 2024, helping repel a Ukrainian incursion. While Pyongyang’s forces have not yet entered Ukraine, they provide significant military aid, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles.
“Along the front, 40–60% of artillery fired at Ukraine is North Korean-made,” Yusov said, emphasizing that these supplies significantly enhance Russia’s firepower beyond troop numbers.
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