Over 12,000 North Korean troops are estimated to be fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, the United Nations Security Council learned last week.

The partnership, according to officials who spoke to ABC News, has been essential to Ukraine defending itself as Russia invaded almost three years ago.

Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two injured North Korean soldiers, and has offered to swap them for Ukrainian soldiers being held by Russia.

Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean soldiers who were fighting on behalf of Russia in a Russian border region, South Korea’s intelligence service said.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed the deployment of troops from North Korea to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces.

In a report released just 10 days before President Joe Biden cedes the White House to President-elect Donald Trump, the intelligence community admitted Friday there actually might be something there when it comes to Havana syndrome.

In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy said he had instructed Ukraine's security service to allow journalists access to the captured soldiers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is willing to release North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers being held captive in Russia.

Two wounded North Korean soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war by Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. The two men are receiving "necessary medical assistance" and are in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv,

South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Sunday it had confirmed that Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean soldiers this week in Russia's Kursk region, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said they were being questioned.

North Korea has not responded to reports of its troops captured or killed by Ukraine forces. It has never publicised the deployment or large shipments of North Korean artillery shells and other weapons sent to Russia to help its war against Ukraine, although they marked the country’s first intervention in a major armed conflict overseas in decades.

While Moscow and Tehran have shared warmer relations for decades, a revival of the nations’ allyship occurred when the former invaded Kyiv.