N.Korea this year sent 1,000+ more troops to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces: South Korea

South Korean military officials claimed North Korea is estimated to have sent over 1,000 military personnel to Russia in January and February in addition to some 11,000 troops already deployed in the country to fight Ukrainian forces, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

"It is understood that North Korea is also making preparations to send additional troops to Russia," Yonhap quoted an unnamed military official as saying.

The troops' current location, according to another official, remains unknown, as the military can no longer track their movement once they leave North Korea's northeastern port of Chongjin and the nearby area of Najin.

South Korean officials have previously cited the two border areas as sites where North Korea shipped supplies and personnel to Russia.

Pyongyang, according to Seoul, is believed to have deployed approximately 11,000 troops to Russia's western frontline region of Kursk since October, reportedly suffering around 4,000 casualties.

It remains unclear whether the troops additionally sent to Russia have been deployed to Kursk.

An official of South Korea's Defense Ministry declined to confirm the latest dispatch, saying the ministry is closely monitoring North Korean military activities.