By love-89.com On October 23, John Kirby, the Strategic Communications Coordinator for the National Security Council, confirmed that North Korea dispatched at least 3,000 troops to eastern Russia earlier this month. This assertion comes following intelligence reports from both Ukraine and South Korea indicating North Korea’s involvement in supporting Russia’s military efforts against Ukraine. This marks the first official response from the U.S. government regarding these developments.
In a statement, Kirby indicated, “We believe that North Korea sent a minimum of 3,000 soldiers to eastern Russia between early and mid-October. We think these troops traveled by maritime means from Wonson, North Korea, to Vladivostok, Russia. Currently, they are being distributed across Russian military bases in eastern Russia for training.”
Kirby expressed uncertainty about whether North Korean soldiers would engage in combat alongside Russian forces, describing this as a concerning issue. “Once these soldiers complete their training, they could be deployed to the western front to confront Ukrainian forces,” he noted. The first group of North Korean troops is reportedly receiving basic combat training at three locations in Russia.
He also mentioned that the U.S. plans to announce significant sanctions against those aiding Russia in the coming days, emphasizing that the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. Kirby warned that if North Korean troops were to be deployed to the Ukrainian front, they would be considered legitimate targets by Ukrainian forces.
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaking to reporters in Rome on the same day, confirmed the reports of North Korea sending troops to Russia. He stated, “We have evidence of North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia. However, the specifics of what they are doing still need to be clarified.”
Austin did not provide detailed information regarding the scale of the North Korean military presence or whether they would integrate with Russian forces, but he did caution that North Korean participation in combat would present a serious issue, with significant implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
Shortly after Austin’s remarks, NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah released a written statement confirming that allies have corroborated evidence of North Korean troop deployments to Russia. “If North Korea’s forces are sent to engage in Ukraine, it represents substantial support for Russia’s illegal war, potentially escalating tensions significantly and resulting in heavy losses for Russia. We will coordinate closely with our allies on this issue,” Dakhlallah stated.
NATO also announced that a South Korean delegation is expected to arrive at NATO headquarters in Brussels next week to report on the latest intelligence pertaining to this situation.