Ukrainian army engages North Korean troops in ongoing war with Russia

Ukraine troops confronted North Korean troops for the first time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday. 

Zelenskyy didn’t provide many details, Fox News reports, but he warned Russia intends to escalate the war, which has raged for nearly three years. 

“The first battles with North Korean soldiers have opened a new chapter of instability in the world," Zelenskyy said. 

The Ukrainian army fired artillery at North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk border region, according to a Kyiv official. 

South Korea’s Defense Ministry estimates that North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia, with a majority stationed on frontline regions. 

The Pentagon expressed concern last month at initial reports that North Korean soldiers were fighting for Russia.