Ukrainian special operations forces have given an insight into the brutal, near-suicidal tactics of the North Koreans they have faced in intense fighting in the Russian border region of Kursk.

All North Korean recruits are taught a song that includes a verse about saving their last bullet for themselves to avoid capture, one former soldier told NBC News.

Soldiers from North Korea fighting on behalf of Moscow have reportedly pulled back from the frontline in Russia's Kursk region.

North Korean soldiers have been deployed to fight for Russia, repelling Ukraine’s incursion in the border region of Kursk. CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh gained rare insight into their brutal and near-suicidal tactics,

Hyunseung Lee, a former soldier who fled North Korea, told BI that those sent to fight against Ukraine have "zero relationship with modern warfare."

Over 12,000 North Korean troops are estimated to be fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, the United Nations Security Council learned last week.