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.

Pyongyang appeared to admit for the first time that it sent a contingent of troops to fight in Ukraine, according to the North Korean media.

Last week Russia also clarified that it was being supported by North Korean troops and thanked them for helping them expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk, a claim that Ukraine denies. Over the weekend, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his troops were still fighting in Kursk despite Russia’s claims.