The United States said on Monday it was Russia that is escalating the conflict in Ukraine by deploying North Korean troops, after the Kremlin warned that Washington would deepen its involvement in the war by allowing Kyiv's forces to strike far into Russia with U.

When rumours first emerged in October that North Korean troops were about to start supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, it wasn't immediately clear what role they would be fulfilling. Their lack of battlefield experience was give as a key reason why they might just be assigned to non-combat roles.

Kyiv believes battlefield experience gained by North Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine war could be a threat against the South.