North Korean soldiers considered by Russia to be "expendable" are carrying out massed, dismounted assaults against Ukrainian positions which he said "haven't really been all that effective", the White House National Security Council spokesperson has said.

A thousand North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in the last week fighting in Ukraine, the US has said. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Russia was deploying “human waves” of North Korean soldiers, and at least one soldier captured by Ukraine died of his injuries, according to NBC News.