North Korea may deploy as many as 100,000 troops to aid Russia’s war on Ukraine if the alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow continues to deepen, according to people familiar with assessments made by some Group of 20 nations.

Takeshi Iwaya will meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, to reaffirm Japan’s “strong support” for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and to discuss further sanctions against Moscow, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Ukraine’s allies will look to pressure China over North Korea’s growing support for Russia’s war during a Group of 20 Summit in Brazil, according to people familiar with the matter.

Japan’s foreign minister has arrived in Kyiv to discuss North Korea’s deepening military alliance with Russia, including the deployment of thousands of troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine

Soldiers from North Korea are reportedly fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, and initial conflicts have emerged. A recording featuring a Russian Orthodox priest has surfaced online. In it, he claims that the Koreans "brought a plague to the country" and advises soldiers not to heed the "devilish words" of the godless.

North Korea has sent a substantial military force to assist Russia in its war with Ukraine. According to US government officials, there are now more than ten thousand North Korean troops on Russian soil.