North Korean troops have now entered Russia’s war with Ukraine in a major way, and some have been killed, Western officials say.

Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was mutilating and "burning off" the faces of dead North Korean soldiers to hide their staggering death tolls.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed and wounded in Russia's Kursk region and warned that Pyongyang could send more personnel and equipment for Moscow's army.

The North Korean army is one of the world’s largest.​ As it joins Russia’s war against Ukraine, its soldiers are paying a price for Kim Jong-un’s geopolitical maneuvers.

North Korea and Russia are deepening their military cooperation, as Pyongyang ramps up the supply of arms to Moscow for its war in Ukraine and receives much needed cash and oil from the Kremlin in return.

North Korea appears to be preparing to supply more arms to Russia on top of some 20,000 containers it had already sent, the Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 23 based on its analysis of satellite images.

At least 1,100 North Korean soldiers are reported to have been killed or wounded in Russia’s conflict against Ukraine

South Korea's military said on Monday it has detected signs of North Korea preparing to send more troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

According to analysts from the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, the Russian Federation Army may acquire new weaponry from North Korea. They highlighted the transport of mysterious weapons spotted in the Tyumen region of Russia.

The Russian Federation Army may potentially acquire new weapons from North Korea, according to analysts from the Ukrainian portal Defense Express. They point to the transport of mysterious weapons spotted in the Russian Tyumen region.