North Korea confirms it sent troops to help Russia in Ukraine

Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)

North Korea has confirmed for the first time that it sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

US, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence officials have said North Korea dispatched about 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia last year, but North Korea had not confirmed or denied its reported troop deployments to Russia until Monday.