North Korean soldiers have reportedly been ordered to join Russian armed forces engaged in fighting in the Kursk region. According to the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service (HUR), “It's likely that the leadership of the aggressor state will soon involve North Korean soldiers in the direct conduct of assault operations”.

In Kursk, North Korean soldiers are said to have opened fire on their Russian colleagues following a serious mix-up, reports the Ukrainian military

"We have seen hundreds of (North Korean soldiers) on the battlefield already, and (Ukraine is) successfully fighting them as we are fighting with the Russians," Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova told CBS News.