The Biden administration believes that a contingent of North Korean troops is en route to Russia’s Kursk region to assist Moscow in countering a Ukrainian offensive launched there in August, according to a U.S. official.
Although U.S. officials have not confirmed South Korean reports that North Korean soldiers will engage in direct combat, they estimate the North Korean force could number in the thousands and may rapidly be assigned to combat roles, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The U.S. official’s remarks followed National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby’s statement earlier on Oct. 25, where he noted that some North Korean troops stationed at multiple training sites in eastern Russia will likely be deployed to Kursk, though the specific purpose remains unclear.
"...At least some of these North Korean troops could be deployed to the Kursk area," Kirby said. "But in what capacity, for what purpose, that still remains unclear."
This marks the first public acknowledgment by the U.S. of its assessment that North Korean troops could soon be in Kursk, coming a day after Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that the initial units trained in Russia had already moved to the region.
Initially, U.S. officials estimated around 3,000 North Korean troops were training in Russia, but Kirby indicated that the overall count could now be higher. South Korean intelligence has informed lawmakers that North Korean troop numbers in Russia could reach 10,000 by December.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
