The US government says that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers are training in Russia, according to declassified intelligence. If these troops join the war in Ukraine, they could become “legitimate military targets,” warns the Biden administration.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated at a NATO summit last week that Russia is training two North Korean military units, each with 6,000 soldiers, for potential deployment.
Satellite images show North Korean soldiers training at Russian military bases. South Korea has raised concerns that this move could violate UN resolutions and lead to serious escalations.
Pentagon officials emphasize the global risks posed by North Korea’s collaboration with Russia, both nuclear-armed adversaries of the US.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said this could impact Europe and the Indo-Pacific.