A thousand North Korean troops who have been fighting in the Kursk region of Russia have been killed in Vladimir Putin ’s war with Ukraine, officials have said. Western officials have told the BBC that 36 per cent of North Korean forces fighting in Russia had been killed, injured or captured by mid-January.

Approximately 1,000 North Korean troops have been killed in Russia’s Kursk region while fighting Ukraine on Vladimir Putin’s behalf, officials say.

Britain's defense ministry said about 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed and around 3,000 more wounded fighting against Ukraine.

The South Korean military reports on North Korea's plans to send additional troops to Russia, attributing this decision to numerous casualties. North Korea is preparing to reinforce its military presence in Russia.

North Korea and Russia's deepening military relationship has sounded alarm in South Korea and the United States.

In exchange for helping Russia in the war with Ukraine, North Korea is set to receive Russian MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets. Although these are more modern machines than those currently used in North Korean aviation,

"North Korea is presumed to be accelerating preparations for the additional deployment of its troops to Russia while continuing to push for potential launches of a spy satellite or an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM),