North Korea Sends 10,000 Soldiers To Russia For Training, Possible Support For Russian Troops

The Pentagon believes North Koreans are moving toward Kursk, Russia. NATO Also said they have been deployed to Kursk, but weren't clear whether that meant the troops had already reached the location.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has confirmed reports that North Korea has sent troops to Eastern Russia for training, with Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh saying during a press briefing that the Department of Defense believes the DPRK (the official name for North Korea) has sent around 10,000 soldiers to Russia to train, adding that they will likely be augmenting Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks and that DPRK soldiers are headed to Kursk, Russia where Ukraine has created a buffer zone they are currently defending.

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Singh said that the deployment of North Korean troops to the Russia/Ukraine conflict could mark a further escalation and said that it highlights desperation from Russian President Vladimir Putin in light of the extraordinary casualties that have been inflicted on the battlefield, with estimated Russian losses to be 500,000 (half a million) since the start of the war, though Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III had said it was over 300,000 service member deaths in a statement on October 23rd.

She added, "We have seen reports from over the weekend indicating that DPRK soldiers have started arriving in western Russia. We believe that the DPRK has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks.

A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine, and we are increasingly concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk Oblast near the border with Ukraine."

She went on to say that, "This is a very serious issue. Should DPRK soldiers be used on the battlefield, this would mark a further escalation and highlights President Putin's increasing desperation as Russia has suffered extraordinary casualties on the battlefield, and an indication that Putin may be in more trouble than people realize.

This move would have serious implications for Europe and Indo-Pacific security as well. We are watching this closely and consulting with our Ukrainian partners as well as our allies on the implications of such a dramatic move. The US is committed to supporting Ukraine and surging security assistance, as you've seen with our most recent PDA announcements."

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