Over 12,000 North Korean troops are estimated to be fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, the United Nations Security Council learned last week.
The partnership, according to officials who spoke to ABC News, has been essential to Ukraine defending itself as Russia invaded almost three years ago.
Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two injured North Korean soldiers, and has offered to swap them for Ukrainian soldiers being held by Russia.
The NIS attributed the high casualties to the soldiers' "lack of understanding of modern warfare," including their "useless" attempts to shoot down long-range drones.
Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed the deployment of troops from North Korea to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces.
In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy said he had instructed Ukraine's security service to allow journalists access to the captured soldiers.
In a report released just 10 days before President Joe Biden cedes the White House to President-elect Donald Trump, the intelligence community admitted Friday there actually might be something there when it comes to Havana syndrome.
Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean soldiers who were fighting on behalf of Russia in a Russian border region, South Korea’s intelligence service said.
Russia once floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland in a forged fundraising letter sent to Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton nearly five years ago, according to Danish intelligence. Newsweek contacted the Kremlin and the Trump-Vance transition team for comment by email on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is willing to release North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers being held captive in Russia.
North Korea has not responded to reports of its troops captured or killed by Ukraine forces. It has never publicised the deployment or large shipments of North Korean artillery shells and other weapons sent to Russia to help its war against Ukraine, although they marked the country’s first intervention in a major armed conflict overseas in decades.
While Moscow and Tehran have shared warmer relations for decades, a revival of the nations’ allyship occurred when the former invaded Kyiv.