World war warning

Zelensky: Thousands of North Koreans to join up

- LORNE COOK

VOLODYMYR Zelensky has claimed thousands of North Korean troops are being prepared to join Russia in fighting Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president warned that a third nation joining the conflict would be the first step to a world war.

Mr Zelensky said: "We know about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea that they are preparing to send to fight against us."

He did not go into any further details about the intelligence that came a day after US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said America and its allies were alarmed by Kim Jong Un's military support for Russia.