Approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers arrived inside Russia close Ukrainianapproaching its border raises concerns that they may soon unite. Moscow’s war effort.

US secretary of state Antony Blinking He confirmed the deployment on Thursday, adding that these troops were trained in artillery and drone operations as well as basic infantry tactics.

Mr. Blinken claimed there were about 8,000 Korean troops in the border region of Kursk. Where Russian forces fought against Ukrainian aggression since August.

This number of soldiers is a sharp increase compared to previous estimates. Just a day earlier, US defense secretary Lloyd Austin had stated that Korean troops had only partially moved towards the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Blinken warned that Korean soldiers would become “legitimate military targets” if they participated in combat operations.

“We have not yet seen the deployment of these troops to fight against Ukrainian forces, but we expect that to happen in the coming days,” he said at a joint news conference with South Korean and U.S. defense officials.

South Korea While Russia increased the number of North Korean soldiers to 11,000, Ukraine claimed that this number was close to 12,000.

South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the deployment, stating that it was a serious threat not only to Europe but also to stability on the Korean peninsula. He called for an immediate withdrawal and warned that Seoul would respond appropriately to the escalation.

Tensions on the peninsula intensified on Thursday north korea tested an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, first in almost a year.

The United States and South Korea fear that Moscow’s alliance with Pyongyang could deepen if technological aid for North Korea’s weapons development is involved.

In response, Mr. Blinken called on China to use its influence to block North Korea’s intervention, noting that recent talks with Chinese officials underscored expectations for Beijing to take action.

“I think they know very well our concerns and our expectations, both verbal and deed, that they will use the influence they have to work to thwart these activities,” Mr. Blinken said of Chinese officials.

The United States, South Korea and Japan have since issued a joint statement condemning the missile launch, describing it as a “blatant violation” of several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

They called on North Korea to “immediately halt the series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.”

They also criticized increased military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, calling it a destabilizing factor for peace on the Korean peninsula and beyond.

Meanwhile, Mr. Austin said the United States would announce new military aid to Ukraine in the coming days.

The United States has provided more than $59 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, and Mr. Austin reaffirmed Washington’s determination to continue supporting Kiev.

Mr. Austin said Ukraine could retain Russian territory in Kursk. “I believe they can keep the territory if they choose to do that. They have options,” Mr. Austin said of Ukrainian troops.

He argued that the impact of North Korean troops on the conflict would be limited, given the high casualty rates among Russian forces.

president of ukraine Volodymyr ZelenskyBut he said the deployment of Korean forces poses a challenge. Russian leader Vladimir Putin was “testing the West’s response,” said Mr. Zelensky, adding that North Korea’s deployment could be an indicator of possible future tensions.

At the UN Security Council meeting held on Thursday, US deputy ambassador Robert Wood drew attention to the presence of Korean troops near Ukraine.

Addressing the Russian representative, he asked the following question: “Does Russia still maintain that there are no North Korean soldiers in Russia?”

Russia’s deputy ambassador, Anna Evstigneeva, declined to respond.

But Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia questioned on October 30 why Moscow’s allies such as North Korea were unable to help Kiev while Western countries were demanding the right to help Kiev.

“Even if everything our Western colleagues say about cooperation between Russia and North Korea is true, why are the United States and its allies trying to impose on everyone the erroneous logic that they have the right to help the Zelensky regime? “And don’t Russian allies have the right to do something similar?” he asked.

In addition to sending troops, North Korea reportedly also provides military equipment to Russia; The White House released photos earlier this month showing more than 1,000 containers of munitions heading to Russia by rail. This support, along with Iranian drones provided to Russia, underscores the increasing involvement of international actors in the ongoing war.

According to Western analysts, North Korea’s participation in the war shows that Russia’s power is weak. “You can’t take thousands of soldiers from North Korea if your war is going well,” said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander and president of strategic consultancy Sibylline.