Nato says North Korean troops deployed to Russia's Kursk region

North Korean troops person been deployed to Russia and are operating successful the Kursk borderline portion wherever Ukrainian troops person a foothold, Nato has said for the archetypal time.

The alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte said helium could corroborate the deployment aft weeks of speculation, pursuing a gathering with South Korean quality and defence officials connected Monday.

The recently installed Nato main said the deployment represented a "significant escalation" and a "dangerous expansion" of Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin refused to contradict that North Korean troops had arrived successful Russia, pursuing reports that Pyongyang was preparing to nonstop thousands of troops to assistance its ally.

South Korea's spy bureau said earlier this period that astatine slightest 1,500 North Korean troops had arrived successful Russia, prompting Seoul to contented Moscow with a stern diplomatic rebuke.

But Rutte's involution connected Monday marked the archetypal clip Nato had formally acknowledged that Pyongyang's forces were operating successful Russia. He added that North Korea has already sent millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles to Moscow for usage successful Ukraine.

In return, President Putin has agreed to nonstop subject exertion and different enactment to assistance North Korea evade planetary sanctions, Rutte said. The partnership, helium added, was "undermining planetary bid and security".

His informing that North Korean troops are operating successful Kursk volition origin interest successful Western capitals. Clashes person continued betwixt Moscow and Kyiv's forces astir 2 months aft Ukrainian troops archetypal entered the portion successful a daze operation.