Moscow: Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff for Russia's Armed Forces, confirmed on Saturday that North Korean soldiers fought against Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region.

Gerasimov said they took part in “combat missions shoulder to shoulder with Russian servicemen during the repelling of the Ukrainian incursion” and “demonstrated high professionalism, showed fortitude, courage and heroism in battle”. 

Meanwhile, Gerasimov also told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Russian army has fully liberated the border Kursk region from Ukrainian control.

Kyiv had hoped it could use land in the Kursk region as a bargaining chip in future peace talks with Russia, which has seized parts of eastern and southern Ukraine since its offensive began in 2022.

(with inputs from AP and AFP)