Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko is currently on an official visit to North Korea, according to state media outlet KCNA. His visit comes at a time when reports indicate that thousands of North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russian forces in Ukraine.

Rudenko has played a key role in strengthening relations between Moscow and Pyongyang since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He was also part of Russian delegations involved in early peace negotiations with Ukraine.

KCNA reported that during his visit, Rudenko toured a landmark monument in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. However, further details about his agenda have not been disclosed.

According to U.S., Ukrainian, and South Korean officials, more than 12,000 North Korean troops are currently fighting alongside Russian forces in the border region of Kursk. Dorothy Shea, then-deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, had presented this information at a U.N. Security Council meeting in January.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare Ukrainian troops being pushed out of the Kursk region. Putin responded by stating that he would do so only if the Ukrainian soldiers surrendered.

Rudenko’s visit highlights the growing military and diplomatic ties between Russia and North Korea as geopolitical tensions continue to escalate.