US issues update on ‘North Korean soldiers in Russia’

North Korea has sent some 10,000 troops to Russia for training and potential deployment against Ukrainian forces, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh claimed on Monday.

Citing an assessment by the US Defense Department, Singh told journalists that “a portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine.” The US is concerned that the troops would be used “in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces” in Russia’s Kursk Region, the official added.

Kiev launched an incursion into internationally-recognized Russian territory in August. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said last week that North Korean soldiers will be considered “legitimate military targets” if they “decide to join the fight against Ukraine.” Singh replied that Kirby’s statement “still stands” when she was asked whether the Pentagon would consider the troops “fair game,” should they remain on Russian soil.

The Pentagon perceives the development as a sign of “increasing desperation” in Russian President Vladimir Putin and an indication that he “may be in more trouble than people realize.”

The Russian leader has neither confirmed nor denied claims from Ukraine and its backers about the arrival of North Korean troops. When asked last week about the claims, he noted that Moscow and Pyongyang had signed a bilateral treaty which provides for military cooperation.

Whether this cooperation would entail more than joint drills and training is up to Russia and North Korea and no one else, Putin stressed in an interview.

“This is our business, just like we are always being told that it is Ukraine’s business how it ensures its national security, with NATO or without it,” he said.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte claimed on Monday that North Korean troops have already been deployed in Kursk Region.

“The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security,” Rutte said after a meeting with South Korean intelligence and military officials in Brussels. He added that NATO remains committed to supporting Ukraine against Russia.

Ukrainian forces are currently being pushed back in multiple parts of the front line, including in Kursk Region. Putin said last week that Russian troops have gained valuable experience in modern warfare, particularly the mass deployment of drones, in which innovations are sometimes made directly on the battlefield.

Moscow considers the Ukraine conflict to be a US-led proxy war against Russia, for which Kiev provides ‘cannon fodder’.