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.

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

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

The NIS attributed the high casualties to the soldiers' "lack of understanding of modern warfare," including their "useless" attempts to shoot down long-range drones.

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

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

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.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported that more than 300 North Korean soldiers were killed fighting against Ukraine, while more than 2,700 were injured.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday Kyiv is ready to hand over captured North Korean soldiers to their leader Kim Jong Un if he can facilitate their exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia.

The South Korean National Intelligence Service believes that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may visit Russia in the first half of this year, the Korea Times said on Monday. "Kim may visit Russia in the first half of this year,

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.

Russia once floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland in a forged fundraising letter sent to Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton nearly five years ago, according to Danish intelligence. Newsweek contacted the Kremlin and the Trump-Vance transition team for comment by email on Monday.