North Korean troops are now in Russia to fight Ukraine, Pentagon says

About 10,000 North Korean troops are now in Russia and are likely heading to UkraineThe Pentagon announced this on Monday.

North Korean troops are training in eastern Russia and “will likely join Russian forces near Ukraine within the next few weeks,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said. “Some” of the troops have already moved closer to Ukraine, she said.

“We are increasingly concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or in support of combat against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia near the border with Ukraine,” she added.

Ukrainian forces arrived in Kurskregion of Russia on the northern border of Ukrainein August.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that troops had already been deployed to Kursk.

Their presence indicates a “dangerous expansion” of the war in Ukraine and a “significant escalation” of North Korean involvement. According to him, this also violates UN Security Council resolutions.

“NATO calls on Russia and North Korea to immediately cease these actions,” he said in a statement. statementusing the official name of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “Deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security.”

More: The US and its allies say they have evidence of the presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine

Rutte said the South Korean delegation had briefed the North Atlantic Council and its allies, including Japan, New Zealand and Australia, on intelligence about North Korean forces.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced this last week. that the United States confirmed that North Korean troops are on Russian soil, but did not specify what their role in this bitter conflict might be.

“If they are complicit in the war, if their intent is to participate in this war on behalf of Russia, that is a very, very serious matter,” Austin said.

North Korea has already provided large stockpiles of ammunition to supply the Russian army as the two countries strengthened ties in recent months.