The assessment came two days after North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia recapture parts of the Kursk region, which it lost control of to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year.

North Korea confirmed for the first time on Monday that it had sent troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine under orders from leader Kim Jong Un.

All Ukrainian troops have been forced from Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Saturday. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.

(Reuters) -Swarms of Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Dnipro late on Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring at least 46, officials said. Kharkiv, which lies in the northeast near the Russian border and is Ukraine's second-largest city,