North Korean troops reportedly bolster Russian forces in Ukraine
There is evidence that North Korean soldiers are present in Russia, stated Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin during a press conference in Rome on Wednesday. He added that it is unclear what they are to be used for.
10:38 AM EDT, October 23, 2024
"What exactly are they doing there? We will see. There are things we still need to clarify," said Lloyd Austin in a conversation with journalists.
Austin's words are the first public confirmation by U.S. authorities regarding the involvement of North Korean troops on Russia's side.
On Wednesday, Austin was received in an audience by Pope Francis. Earlier, the Pentagon Chief visited Ukraine and participated in the G7 defense ministers' meeting in Naples.
Washington investigates reports of Pyongyang's cooperation with Moscow
Last week, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed that the United States is analyzing reports of Pyongyang's cooperation with Moscow.
Last week, South Korean intelligence reported that in October, North Korea sent about 1,500 soldiers for training in Russia's Far East. After completing the training, these troops are supposed to be deployed to the front in Ukraine. According to a source in South Korean intelligence, further deployments are planned, and Pyongyang intends to send a total of 12,000 soldiers to Ukraine, including members of elite special forces.
Ukrainian intelligence: first units already on the way
On Tuesday, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) reported that the first groups from North Korea are expected to arrive the next day in the Kursk region in Russia, which borders Ukraine.
These soldiers are to support the Russian army. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky warned that sending North Korean soldiers to the front could be "the first step on the road to world war" and appealed to the West for a decisive response.
