Projections that North Korean troops deployed to the Russia-Ukraine conflict would be ill-equipped cannon fodder are evaporating as battlefield reports indicate high motivation, quality training and lavish scales of gear.

North Korea sent its best troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine. But after months of suffering severe losses, they have been taken off the front line.

North Korean troops fighting for Russia have been pulled from the front line for extra training after crude tactics led to massive casualties.

North Korean troops not seen for 3 weeks in parts of Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Special Forces say Ukraine deploys long-range drone capable of 2,000 km strike, military says Ukrainian drones strike "one of 10 largest oil refineries in Russia,

The spokesman did not say how long that front line was. And while this is not the full picture, it does suggest significant North Korean casualties. Separately, the New York Times also reported that the North Koreans had been pulled off the front lines.

In the fog of war, whispers from the Ukrainian front lines reveal a curious absence. The once-present North Korean troops have seemingly vanished from the scene.