North Korea could send as many as 100,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine, according to reports from assessments by some G20 nations, sparking fears of a dramatic escalation in the conflict.

North Korea may deloy as many as 100,000 troops to Russia to help President Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine, Bloomberg cited people familiar with assessments made by G20 nations to report on Sunday.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a proxy war between the Korean states as they supply arms for both sides. Now that Kim Jong-un has sent troops to take a direct role in the fighting, South Korea could respond by escalating its own involvement.

Japan’s foreign minister has arrived in Kyiv to discuss North Korea’s deepening military alliance with Russia, including the deployment of thousands of troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine

A former North Korean soldier has said that troops from the rogue state who are fighting in Russia as part of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine may look to flee from the front line.

Kim Jong-un's burgeoning alliance with Vladimir Putin is being viewed with considerable concern in Western circles.

Further sanctions against Moscow will be discussed when Takeshi Iwaya meets his Ukrainian foreign ministry counterpart.