US Confirms North Korean Troops Are in Russia: ‘Very Serious’

Lloyd Austin has confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, describing the development as a “very serious” escalation.
The US Defense Secretary said: “There is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia.
“What exactly they are doing? Left to be seen. These are things that we need to sort out.”
The development raises concerns about escalating tensions and the potential for a broader conflict in Ukraine involving a third country.
Earlier this week, South Korea’s intelligence chief said they believed around 3,000 North Korean troops have arrived in Russia, where they are undergoing training on drones and other military equipment before being sent to the front lines in Ukraine.
In a private session of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong informed lawmakers that an additional 1,500 North Korean troops have recently joined the 1,500 previously reported to be in Russia. According to lawmaker Park Sunwon, who attended the briefing, the NIS now estimates that North Korea plans to send as many as 10,000 troops to Russia by the end of the year.
The 3,000 North Korean soldiers currently in Russia have been dispersed across several military bases and are undergoing training, Cho explained during the briefing. He emphasized that these troops have not yet been deployed to combat zones, according to Park’s account.
Joining Park in a press briefing, lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun added that Russian military forces are instructing the North Korean soldiers on the use of military technologies, including drones, according to NIS findings.
If the troops are sent to the front lines in Ukraine, it would mark North Korea’s first significant involvement in an international conflict, despite its large military of 1.2 million personnel lacking extensive combat experience.
Experts are skeptical about the effectiveness of North Korean troops in the conflict, citing the country’s outdated military equipment and limited battlefield expertise.
It is believed that North Korea may have received assurances from Russia regarding security support amid increasing tensions surrounding its nuclear program, particularly in relation to the U.S. and South Korea.
North Korean special forces troops were seen boarding Russian ships and being transported to the mainland in satellite images released last week by South Korea’s intelligence services.
The images, from mid August, show North Korean troops boarding Russian naval transport ships and then organizing on the mainland.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated four landing ships and three escort ships belonging to the Russian Pacific Fleet completed the first transport of approximately 1,500 North Korean special forces from near Chongjin, Hamhung, and Musudan, North Korea, to Vladivostok, Russia.