North Korea has become a crucial source of missiles, munitions and even soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine as the sanctions-defying alliance between the two countries intensifies, according to a report by 11 countries,

North Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a new report by an international watchdog, which details the extent to which Pyongyang has helped Moscow “terrorize” Ukraine’s population over its three-year war.

A top Russian official praised North Korean troops for assisting President Vladimir Putin's military in the Ukraine war. Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, said the troops deployed by Pyongyang to Russia had fought "valiantly" in the Kursk region,