North Korean troops in Russia: Tensions rise near Ukraine

On Thursday, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin reported that about 8,000 of the 10,000 soldiers sent by North Korea are already in the Kursk region and are expected to join the fighting in the coming days.

- We currently estimate that there are about 10,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia in total, and the latest information indicates that about 8,000 of them have been deployed in the Kursk region - said Austin, adding that “if these troops take part in combat operations or provide combat support against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military targets."

Volodymyr Zelensky, quoted by "Politico," said on Saturday that Ukrainian partners should allow Kyiv to strike North Korean units inside Russia.

- We see all the places where Russia gathers North Korean soldiers on its territory, all their camps. We could strike preemptively if we had the ability to hit far enough - he said.

- But instead of providing such necessary long-range weapons, America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching - listed Zelensky in a post on Telegram, emphasizing: - Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians.

- Everyone in the world who truly wants the Russian war with Ukraine not to expand... cannot just watch. They must act. Actions must accompany words about the unacceptability of escalation and expansion of the war - urged the Ukrainian leader.

As "Politico" reminded, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, highlighted that Ukrainian troops are currently holding back one of the "most powerful" Russian offensives since the invasion began nearly three years ago.