South Korean defence ministry, meanwhile, said that the deployment of Pyongyang's troops to Russia violates UN security resolutions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed words of gratitude for his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un.Putin on Monday morning thanked the North Korean leader for the "assistance" in the "liberation" of the Kursk region.

Moscow: President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian forces have retaken control of the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise attack last year. However, Kyiv disputed the claim, stating that their troops are still fighting to maintain their presence in the area,

In a statement after Putin made the announcement, the Ukrainian military says their operation "in certain areas in the Kursk region continues." The statement by Ukraine says the s

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed on Saturday what he said was the complete failure of an offensive by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region after Moscow said they had been expelled from the last village they had been holding.