North Korea confirmed for the first time on Monday that it has sent troops to fight for Russia in the war with Ukraine under the order of leader Kim Jong Un and made an important contribution to the liberation of Russian territory occupied by Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine dispute the status of the Kursk region, which Kyiv invaded last year in a surprise and successful incursion into Russian territory.

North Korea on Monday confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to support Russia in Moscow's war against Ukraine under their mutual defense treaty. The North's deployment was made by "the order" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in accordance with Pyongyang's mutual defense treaty