Japan's foreign minister arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss North Korea’s deepening military alliance with Russia, including the deployment of thousands of troops to support Moscow's war in Ukraine.

A former North Korean soldier has said that troops from the rogue state who are fighting in Russia as part of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine may look to flee from the front line.

Soldiers from North Korea are reportedly fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, and initial conflicts have emerged. A recording featuring a Russian Orthodox priest has surfaced online. In it, he claims that the Koreans "brought a plague to the country" and advises soldiers not to heed the "devilish words" of the godless.