In December last year, over 11,000 North Korean troops had been deployed in Russia's Kursk region to aid Russian forces in foiling Ukrainian counterattacks in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Though North Korean ballistic missiles account for only a small portion of Russia's missile strikes they carry a large warhead of up to one tonne and have a range of up to 800 km, the military source said. The Iskander-M, an equivalent Russian missile, carries a smaller payload and has a shorter range of 500 km.

In an interview with the Associated Press on Feb. 2, Zelensky added that while these countries had previously cooperated on weapons and technology, they are now openly engaged in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

A Ukrainian news outlet has published a video showing the capture of a North Korean soldier, as South Korea's spy agency said Kim Jong Un has pulled troops from Russia's Kursk region. Newsweek has contacted the Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment.

A North Korean soldier captured fighting for Russia in Ukraine last month reportedly made just two requests to his captors - one for water and another for a cigarette

One Ukrainian special forces soldier shares details of how his team captured the North Korean, giving an insight into the North Korean mindset.