North Korean troops join Russian assaults in 'significant' numbers

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says soldiers are fighting in Russia's Kursk region

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang on Nov. 30. Ukraine estimates there are 11,000 North Koreans fighting in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry via Reuters)  

KYIV (Reuters) -- Russia has begun using North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time to conduct assaults on Ukrainian forces battling to hold an enclave in Russia's Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday.

The Ukrainian leader said the more active use of the troops was a new escalation in the war and called for a global response, as Donald Trump's return to the White House next month fuels speculation of a coming push for peace talks.

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