The Russian President appeared to leave Pyongyang's top envoy looking uncomfortable with a minute-long handshake.

Disguised as Buryats and Yakuts, ethnic minorities from Siberia who have made up a disproportionate share of Moscow’s forces, the North Korean troops are part of a 12,000-strong force sent to help Russia retake the Kursk region, partly held by Ukraine since August, according to video footage published by the South Korean intelligence service.