Ahead of talks between North Korea's foreign minister and key Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday, the Pentagon said there were indications troops deployed to Russia by Pyongyang could be used in an infantry role in the Ukraine war.

It was not immediately clear who North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui would meet in her second visit to Russia in six weeks, but she is expected to discuss a wide-ranging security pact the two countries signed in June. The talks could also involve discussions on additional troop deployments, according to Seoul.

The Kremlin said earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had no plans to hold talks with her — though speculation has grown that the trip may help lay the groundwork for a possible visit to Moscow by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks with Putin.