Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence services have said that many of the troops deployed to Russia are some of Pyongyang’s best, drawn from the 11th Corps, also known as the Storm Corps - a unit trained in infiltration, infrastructure sabotage and assassinations.

Amid reports that Pyongyang’s troops are on the front lines, speculation is rampant among Ukrainian troops about when the first large-scale clashes will happen.

A flood of “fake news” has come out of the war in Ukraine, worse since North Korea’s controversial deployment of troops to Russia.

The US Department of Defense has yet to confirm active participation of North Korean troops in combat against Ukrainian forces. However, North Korean soldiers have been integrated into Russian units.