North Korean troops joining Russia raises global tension
Increasingly concerning reports have emerged about the possible involvement of North Korean troops in Putin's war with Ukraine. General Roman Polko highlights steps the United States should take.
8:09 AM EDT, October 29, 2024
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Monday that, based on Alliance information, troops from North Korea have been sent to Russia and deployed in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
According to Gen. Roman Polko, former commander of the GROM unit, "This is a display army with outdated equipment, untrained, and completely unprepared to operate in foreign environments." He stated, "These are poor people who rob civilians because they have nothing to eat."
"It is clear that Putin will stop at nothing," he said in an interview.
In his opinion, the United States should lift restrictions on Ukraine. "They should apply the same solutions as when transferring weapons to Israel," he noted. He explained that "Israel has no restrictions, while Ukraine cannot defend itself by attacking targets on Russian territory."
Kim Jong Un's soldiers in Russia
On Monday, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh clarified that the U.S. would not impose restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American weapons if North Korean forces entered the conflict.
She noted that North Korean soldiers would then be considered direct participants in the war, and Ukraine would have full authorization to use U.S.-supplied arms against them. Singh added that any move by North Korean troops toward the frontlines would make them co-belligerents in the conflict—a decision North Korea would need to weigh carefully, especially given the current Russian casualties, reportedly exceeding 500,000.
She was responding to a question about whether the US would decide to introduce additional restrictions on the use of American weapons on Russian territory.
