North Korea is gaining crucial military experience and equipment by sending troops to Russia, a U.S. official warned the United Nations, making the regime a growing threat to neighboring countries.

"Putin is not just maintaining his investment in aggression. He's doubling down. He's even started hiring soldiers from North Korea to keep this war going," Zelensky said.

The United States warned on Wednesday that North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining experience that makes Pyongyang "more capable of waging war against its neighbors.

North Korea is learning valuable lessons from fighting against Ukraine, making it an increased threat to its neighbors, a US official said. In recent months, North Korea has sent around 12,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine as part of a new security pact between its leader,

North Korea is “significantly benefiting” from its troops gaining battlefield experience fighting alongside Russian forces as it makes them more capable of waging war against rivals South Korea and Japan,

Pyongyang might have acquired advanced missile technology from Moscow in exchange for its involvement in the war, analysts say North Korea could raise its army's deployment to support Russia's war in Ukraine to as many as 100,

The president noted that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is “not just maintaining his investments in aggression but doubling them.” Read also: Captured Russian marine exposes North Korean troop wipeout in Kursk Oblast - video “He has even started hiring soldiers from North Korea to continue this war.