The Washington Post reports that North Korean troops could be deployed to the front line in Ukraine to back Russian forces by the end of the year.
The US newspaper quotes Ukrainian sources as saying several thousand North Korean infantry soldiers are undergoing training in Russia.
The sources say North Korean officers are already on the ground in Russia-occupied Ukraine to observe Russian forces and study the battlefield.
North Korea has been deepening military cooperation with Russia, providing ammunition and missiles.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said on Tuesday that there is a high possibility North Korea could deploy troops to Ukraine.
In response to the statement, a senior Ukrainian official said on social media that a limited number of North Korean military personnel, mainly engineers, are already in Ukraine to inspect the quality and supervise the use of Pyongyang’s weapons by the Russian army.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied North Korea was sending its troops to fight in Ukraine, saying “This looks like another bit of fake news.”