Russia has denied reports that North Korean soldiers are directly involved in its invasion of Ukraine.

Six North Korean officers deployed to Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk were killed in a missile strike, the Kyiv Post reported on Oct. 4, citing unnamed sources with alleged access to military intelligence. This was followed up by a report from the Guardian, citing anonymous sources, that “dozens” of North Korean soldiers are known to be assisting the Russian military in operating ballistic missiles supplied by Pyongyang.