Putin does not deny North Korea has sent soldiers to Russia

President's comments at Brics summit are ambiguous, however, US says it has evidence of movement of troops who could fight in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has sidestepped claims that North Korea has sent soldiers to Russia, insisting that it was up to Moscow how to run its mutual defence clause with Pyongyang.

Speaking at the close of the Brics summit in Kazan on Thursday, he accused the west of escalating the Ukraine war and said it was living an illusion" if it thought it could inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.