PYONGYANG (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says North Korean troops will apparently join Russian forces in support of the war against Ukraine in the coming days,
Austin revealed this at the conclusion of 2+2 meetings with South Korean officials at the State Department.
'We now assess that North Korea has sent around 10,000 of its soldiers to train in eastern Russia,' Austin said. 'Our most recent information indicates that about 8,000 of those soldiers are now in the Kursk Oblast. Now, we've not yet seen these soldiers deploy into combat against Ukraine's forces, but we expect that these North Korean soldiers will join the fight against Ukraine in the coming days.'
Austin said Russian forces have trained the North Korean soldiers in artillery operations, unmanned aerial vehicle operations and basic infantry tactics, including trench clearing. 'The Kremlin has also provided these troops with Russian uniforms and equipment, and all of that strongly indicates that Russia intends to use these foreign forces in frontline operations in its war of choice against Ukraine'.
'Make no mistake, if these North Korean troops engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine, they would make themselves legitimate military targets,' the secretary added.
He said the United States is consulting closely with allies and partners on these developments. 'As I discussed last week in Kyiv, Ukraine's military continues to perform admirably on the battlefield, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's forces have suffered serious losses in recent months.' Ukrainian forces have caused more than 1,200 Russian casualties per day, more than at any other time during Putin's war, according to Austin. 'By 'tin-cupping' to North Korea for manpower, Putin is showing the world another clear sign of weakness. The Kremlin's North Korean gambit just underscores how badly Putin's war has gone and how much trouble he is in.'
Austin said the U.S. will announce additional security assistance for Ukraine in the coming days.
Austin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and National Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun the 2+2 meetings.
At the meetings, the United States and South Korea agreed to further enhance their interoperability and strengthen our extended deterrence. 'Our countries are deepening our nuclear and strategic planning efforts through the Nuclear Consultative Group, and we're increasing the regular deployments of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula,' Austin said.
The two countries agreed that attacks in space or cyberspace 'that clearly challenge the security of the alliance could lead us to invoke Article III of the Mutual Defense Treaty'.
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