US says 8,000 North Korean troops positioned in Russia’s Kursk Oblast

The Biden administration announced on 31 October that approximately 8,000 North Korean soldiers are positioned near Ukraine’s border in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, preparing to join combat operations against Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainian intelligence reported earlier in October that around 11,000 North Korean troops had undergone training in Russia and could engage in the war against Ukraine soon. Approximately 3,000 North Korean troops have already been relocated to Kursk Oblast, Ukraine reported.

“We’ve not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference in Washington.

The figure represents a significant portion of the total North Korean military presence in Russia, which various sources estimate differently. The US puts the total at about 10,000 troops, while Seoul and allies estimate 11,000, and Ukraine suggests up to 12,000.

Russia has been training these North Korean forces in “artillery, drones and basic infantry operations, including trench clearing,” Blinken said, indicating their intended use in frontline operations.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that “if these North Korean troops engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine, they will make themselves legitimate military targets.”

However, he added, “this 10,000 won’t come close to replacing the numbers the Russians have lost.”

The US estimates Russian casualties at more than 500,000 killed or wounded over the two-year war.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the deployment “in the strongest possible terms” and called for the troops’ immediate withdrawal.

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