By love-89.com On October 23, John Kirby, the strategic communication coordinator for the White House National Security Council, confirmed that North Korea sent at least 3,000 soldiers to Eastern Russia earlier this month. This claim has been substantiated by recent intelligence reports received by Ukraine and South Korea, indicating North Korean troops are assisting Russia in its operations against Ukraine. This marks the first time the U.S. government has officially addressed the issue.
In a briefing, Kirby stated, “We believe that North Korea dispatched a minimum of 3,000 troops to Eastern Russia between early and mid-October. These soldiers traveled from Wonsan, North Korea, to Vladivostok by naval vessels. They are currently being distributed among Russian military bases in Eastern Russia for training.”
Kirby emphasized that while it remains unclear whether North Korean soldiers will engage in combat alongside Russian forces, the situation is concerning. “Once they complete their training, there is a possibility they could be deployed to the Western front to confront Ukrainian soldiers,” he noted, adding that the initial group of North Korean troops is currently undergoing basic combat training at three locations in Russia.
He further mentioned that in the coming days, Washington plans to announce significant sanctions targeting those supporting Russian aid, as the collaboration between the Russian and North Korean militaries violates several United Nations Security Council resolutions. Kirby highlighted that if North Korean military assets are deployed to the front lines in Ukraine, they would become legitimate targets for Ukrainian forces.
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed the reports of North Korean troop deployment to Russia during a press conference in Rome on the same day. He stated, “We have evidence that North Korea is sending troops to Russia. The specifics of what they are doing remain to be clarified.”
However, Austin did not provide details on the exact scale of the troops or whether they would be gathering with Russian forces. He did caution that if North Korean troops engage in combat, it would pose a serious issue with significant implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
Shortly after Austin’s remarks, NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah issued a statement affirming that allies have confirmed evidence of North Korean troop deployments to Russia. She warned that if these troops are intended to participate in the conflict in Ukraine, it represents significant support for Russia’s illegal war, which could escalate tensions and indicate substantial losses for Russian forces. “We will actively collaborate with our allies on this matter,” she added.
NATO also announced that the South Korean government is expected to send a delegation to NATO headquarters in Brussels as early as next week to share the latest intelligence on this situation.