More than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, and bringing soldiers from North Korea to the front is a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's desperation, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, DW reports.

At a press conference in Brussels after consultations on the issue, Rutte confirmed the transfer of North Korean troops to Russia, as well as their individual units to the Kursk region.

The involvement of the North Korean military in the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a security threat both in the Indo-Pacific region and in the Euro-Atlantic area, Mark Rutte pointed out.

These actions undermine peace on the Korean Peninsula and support Russia's war against Ukraine, he emphasized.

According to the NATO chief, the transfer of DPRK troops to Russia represents a significant escalation of the war in Ukraine. He called on Moscow and Pyongyang to immediately stop these actions.