American and South Korean officials said that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine.

North Korea sending troops to Russia and Ukraine risks escalating that conflict, and underscores growing collaboration among antidemocratic nations.

Russian lawmakers have ratified a pact with North Korea envisioning mutual military assistance, a move that comes even as the U.S. confirmed the deployment of 3,000 North Korean troops to Russia.