SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told the Russian defence minister that Ukraine's use of long-range weapons is the result of direct military intervention by the United States and Moscow is entitled to fight in self-defence, state media said on Saturday.

The United States has information that North Korea is preparing additional supplies of ballistic missiles to Russia, as well as long-range self-propelled artillery and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

North Korea is expanding a weapons plant that manufactures missiles used by Russia against Ukraine, according to new research from a US-based think tank.