North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Leader Kim Jong Un made the decision to send combat troops under a mutual defense treaty, with the goal of liberating the Kursk area in cooperation with Russian armed forces. South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence officials estimate that North Korea dispatched about 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia. The deployment was in response to heavy casualties suffered by North Korean soldiers on the Russian-Ukraine fronts.