Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a treaty on the country's strategic partnership with North Korea which includes a mutual defense provision, according to a decree published Saturday

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea ratified a major defense treaty with Russia stipulating mutual military aid, the North’s state media reported Tuesday, as the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a treaty on the country's strategic partnership with North Korea which includes a mutual defence provision, according to a decree published on Saturday.

The recently signed mutual defense treaty could be used to justify thewidening of the war in Ukraine, as the U.S. says North Korean and Russian troops are already battling Ukrainian forces.

A photo has emerged showing examples of a North Korean-made self-propelled artillery system under transport in Russia, the clearest suggestion so far that Pyongyang is also now providing Moscow with these kinds of heavyweight,

Russian soldiers have been filmed giving North Korean troops battlefield training and language lessons, with some of Kim Jong-un’s men picking up swear words.

Captured Russian soldiers have revealed the presence of North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine under Vladimir Putin’s command. The prisoners of war (POWs) shared these details during interrogations by Ukrainian forces.