A former North Korean soldier has said that troops from the rogue state who are fighting in Russia as part of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine may look to flee from the front line.

President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles inside Russia for the first time Sunday, according to multiple reports—an escalation of U.S. involvement in the conflict in response to North Korean troops being sent to aid Russia.

North Korea may deploy as many as 100,000 troops to aid Russia’s war on Ukraine if the alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow continues to deepen, according to people familiar with assessments made by some Group of 20 nations.