The number of North Korean forces is small so far, at least 3,000, the U.S. says, compared with the hundreds of thousands the West estimates have been killed in Ukraine on both sides. But they may allow Russia to reorganize and push forward, and if it works, North Korea can send more. It has a million-strong army.

Putin didn’t deny that North Korea was sending soldiers to Russia, initially resorting to sarcasm when NBC News asked about it.

He then pointed to Russia’s new strategic agreement…