Vladimir Putin suggested Russia could hold joint military exercises with North Korea under their mutual defense pact on Friday, even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed DPRK troops deployed to Russia have already suffered casualties in the Kursk region.

Speaking at a panel of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, Putin assessed that the Strategic Comprehensive Partnership he signed with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in June “has no novelties,” replicating the previous Soviet-era pact with only “some nuances.”

“The treaty aims at safeguarding security in the region, including for Russia and the DPRK,” he said.

Asked about the possibility