United States officials have now confirmed that North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to Russian territory.
Speaking Wednesday to reporters in Rome, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said North Korean troops have been sent to Russian bases, calling it a "very, very serious issue." He also warned of possible consequences if North Korean soldiers fight alongside Russians in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"We are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops" in Russia, Austin said. "What exactly they're doing — left to be seen. These are things we need to sort out and we'll have more for you on that later. But as we continue to look at this, there is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia."
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Speaking at the White House later Wednesday, U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby confirmed that he believes at least 3,000 North Korean troops traveled earlier this month by boat to Russia's largest Pacific port in the western part of the country.
"These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia, where they are currently undergoing training," Kirby told reporters. "We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability."
Both Austin and Kirby's statements validate evidence the Ukrainian and South Korean governments have pointed to in recent weeks that shows North Korean soldiers receiving uniforms and equipment at a training ground in Russia's western Kursk region. This is an area that Ukraine claims to have seized some 500 square miles of territory since a surprise incursion earlier this year.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the point of that incursion was to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to relocate his most experienced units from Ukraine's east — where they've been making significant advances on the battlefield.
Reports of North Korean troops in Russia also sparked concerns in South Korean, where officials condemned it as "a grave security threat" amid fears Russia could in turn help bolster North Korea's nuclear missile programs. In response, South Korea has threatened to begin supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Last month, Zelenskyy presented his so-called "victory plan" to President Joe Biden, which includes military, political, diplomatic and economic elements. But putting that plan into action will require fast responses from Western allies — something Kyiv believes is crucial for any chance of success.