[3] Before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian scientists and businessmen assisted North Korea's nuclear program by either working directly or supplying technology to the country.

[7] On July 13, 2022, Ukraine announced the severance of diplomatic relations with North Korea due to its recognition of the independence of the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

[11] The soldiers were filmed receiving uniforms and equipment at a training ground, and additional footage showed their arrival near Russia’s border with China.

[12][13][dubious – discuss] On 23 October 2024, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, marking a significant escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

[14][dubious – discuss] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that two units of North Korean soldiers, each with 6,000 personnel, were being trained for deployment.