North Korea Sent 1,000 Troops to Fight for Russia in Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has personally welcomed home military units that were deployed to support Russian forces in Ukraine, state media reported. Approximately 1,000 North Korean engineering and construction soldiers were sent to Russia’s Kursk region in August. Their mission was to clear mines and perform other military support work. During the deployment, nine North Korean soldiers were killed. Kim praised the returning troops for showing "the dignity and honor of our country" in a "faraway land." This marks the first confirmed deployment of North Korean troops to the battlefield in Ukraine. The United States has previously accused North Korea of supplying Russia with large amounts of artillery shells and missiles. The move signals a deepening military partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow. Both countries are under heavy international sanctions.