North Korean troops sent to Russia are learning modern drone warfare tactics, Seoul’s spy agency assessed on Wednesday, suggesting deepening cooperation in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In a notice to media, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) pointed to indications that DPRK soldiers fighting Ukraine in the Kursk region are receiving training in drone operation and tactics.

The assessment comes as North Korea has increasingly prioritized UAV development in recent years, with leader Kim Jong Un pushing to mass-produce smaller suicide drones.

The widespread use of cheap but deadly UAVs has been a defining featureof the war in Ukraine, and