Ex-Ukraine Defense Minister: Russia ‘Trying to Grow the War’ with North Korean Troops

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — The Pentagon said Monday that North Korea has sent some 10,000 troops to Russia to train and deploy to the battlefield in Ukraine within “the next several weeks.” The new estimate is more than triple the previous figure of 3,000 troops the Pentagon gave last week, and closer to Ukraine’s account that 12,000 North Korean soldiers had arrived in Russia.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh also said that some of the North Korean forces have already moved closer to Ukraine, and added that if the troops deploy to the front lines, the U.S. will view them as “co-belligerents in the war” who are valid targets for Ukraine to hit with U.S.-provided weapons.