Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with a senior North Korean party official on Thursday, amid reports that Pyongyang has dispatched more troops to help fight against Ukraine.

The Kremlin published only a one-sentence report announcing the meeting, along with a clip showing Putin shaking hands with secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea Ri Hi Yong.

But photos showed that several high-profile Russian officials also joined Putin during the talks, with experts interpreting their presence as a sign that the discussions focused on the war in Ukraine.

These officials included Yuri Ushakov, the Russian president’s aide, who participated in