North Korean Troops Join Russia-Ukraine Combat, Ukraine Reports. 12,000 North Korean Troops Now Training in Russia.

North Korean troops have entered the combat zone between Russian and Ukrainian forces for the first time, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. Around 12,000 North Korean soldiers, including 500 officers and three generals, have been transferred to Russia, with some already spotted in Russian-occupied Donbas. Pyongyang dismissed the reports as rumors, while Russian President Vladimir Putin neither confirmed nor denied the presence of DPRK forces.