U.S. Department of Defense: North Korea has sent around 3,000 soldiers to Russia for the war in Ukraine

Bayan News – On Wednesday (October 23), the United States confirmed with evidence that North Korea has sent around 3,000 soldiers to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine.

Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, described the situation as a “potentially serious development.”

According to Reuters, based on information from the U.S. Department of Defense, these North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia in October and have been training at military bases in Russia’s Far East region since then.

John Kirby, White House spokesperson, confirmed the number of soldiers and stated that if North Korean military forces enter the battlefield, the Ukrainian military will treat them as “legitimate targets.”

South Korea’s security agency reported that North Korea might send a total of 10,000 soldiers to Russia, with the deployment expected to be completed by December.

According to Seoul, this move reflects a “manpower shortage” in the Russian army. Based on U.S. assessments, Russia has suffered more than 600,000 casualties so far.

Despite these reports, both Russia and North Korea have denied the deployment of troops, calling it “misinformation.”

However, both countries have pledged to strengthen their military ties, raising concerns within the international community.

Leaders of China, India, and Russia discussed the Ukraine war