At least 30 North Korean troops, deployed to bolster Russian forces in their war on Ukraine, have been killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities said Monday, marking a significant turning point after months of speculation over what role Pyongyang’s troops might play in the war.

Ukraine said on Monday that North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops suffered heavy losses during fighting at the weekend in the Russian region of Kursk. North Korean units that arrived in Kursk last month were involved in assaults at the weekend near three villages,

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s military intelligence agency claimed Monday that around 30 North Korean troops were killed or wounded in fighting against the Ukrainian army at the weekend in Russia’s Kursk border region.