U.S. Confirms: North Korean Troops Are In Russia, Possibly To Help Fight Ukraine

The Biden administration on Wednesday for the first time confirmed that it had been 'seeing evidence' of North Korean troops' presence in Russia — possibly to join Moscow’s war against Ukraine, a move that the White House said would have ramifications for both Europe and Asia, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

Speaking to reporters, the Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said it "remains to be seen" what exactly Pyongyang’s forces are doing there, but according to both South Korean and Ukranian warnings, they are preparing to join Russia’s side in the war.

“If they’re a co-belligerent, their intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf, that is a very, very serious issue, and it will have impacts not only on in Europe — It will also impact things in the Indo Pacific as well,” Austin added.

The White House, in its turn, confirmed that at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been in eastern Russia for early training and they are expected to travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military, a development that would “demonstrate Russia’s growing desperation in its war against Ukraine," as Biden advisor, National Security Spokesperson John Kirby put it,

Washington has already briefed the Ukrainian government on the situation, to include the implications of such a move and how the U.S. might respond, according to Kirby.  He also added that this could be in violation of the sanctions on North Korea.

“As we have said before, Russia's cooperation with the North Korean military is in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions which prohibit the procurement of arms from North Korea and military arms training.. This move is likewise a violation,” Kirby concluded.