For more than a year, Russia has been leaning on its increasingly close ally North Korea for supplies of artillery shells and ballistic missiles to prosecute its grinding war in Ukraine. Now, Ukrainian officials are warning that North Korea plans to expand its assistance by dispatching troops.

North Korea’s shipment of troops to Russia holds serious implications both for the war and for global security.

South Korea’s spy chief has told lawmakers that North Korea has sent another 1,500 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.