North Korean troops in Russian uniforms moving towards Ukraine, Pentagon says
Some of the 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia are moving closer to Ukraine “outfitted with Russian uniforms and provided with Russian equipment,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.
“I am increasingly concerned that the Kremlin plans to use these North Korean soldiers to support Russia’s combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine,” Austin said at the Pentagon in a news conference Wednesday with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.
Austin said it remains to be seen whether the North Korean troops participate in combat, but “there is a good likelihood” they will, given the high number of casualties on Russia’s side.
Ahn Young-joon / AP
One of Ukraine’s goals when it launched its surprise offensive into the Kursk area of Russia in early August was to draw Russian forces away from eastern Ukraine. That hasn’t happened in any meaningful way, according to U.S. officials. Instead, Russia has slowly been clawing back territory in Kursk while maintaining pressure in eastern Ukraine – but at a significant cost.
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Source: cbsnews.com