8,000 of the troops Kim Jong Un sent to support Russia are about to hit the front lines, the US says

• As galore arsenic 8,000 North Korean troops are being deployed to Kursk, US officials said connected Thursday.
• While they're not fighting yet, nan US expects they'll participate combat "in nan coming days."
• US State Secretary Antony Blinken said Russia has been training these men successful trench warfare and UAVs.

Thousands of North Korean troops person been moved to nan frontline region of Kursk and are expected to participate combat "in nan coming days," apical US officials said connected Thursday.

US State Secretary Antony Blinken said that arsenic galore arsenic 8,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to nan battle-hit Russian territory, wherever Kyiv launched its counteroffensive this summer.

"We've not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to hap successful nan coming days," Blinken said successful a joint property conference pinch South Korean officials astatine nan State Department.

He said Russia has been training these soldiers to usage artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, and infantry operations specified arsenic trench clearing.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin added astatine nan convention that nan North Korean soldiers were being equipped pinch Russian uniforms and gear.

"All of that powerfully indicates that Russia intends to usage these overseas forces successful frontline operations successful its warfare of prime against Ukraine," Austin said.

"Make nary mistake," he added. "If these North Korean troops prosecute successful combat aliases combat support operations against Ukraine they would make themselves morganatic subject targets."

Blinken and Austin's comments are nan clearest statements from Washington truthful acold astir North Korea's nonstop engagement successful nan war.

The Pentagon said connected Monday that, successful total, Pyongyang had sent Russia astatine slightest 10,000 troops, backing up a erstwhile estimate from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Videos of those troops circulating successful mid-October appeared to show them training and being fitted pinch caller equipment.

Both Austin and Blinken characterized Russian leader Vladimir Putin's leaning connected Pyongyang for manpower arsenic a motion that Moscow is emotion nan weight of its war strategy successful Ukraine.

"One of nan reasons that Russia is turning to these North Korean troops is that it's desperate," Blinken said. "Putin has been throwing much and much Russians into a nutrient grinder of his ain making successful Ukraine. Now he's turning to North Korean troops. And that is simply a clear motion of weakness."

The caller developments travel arsenic North Korea and Russia person forged person ties, signing an statement successful June pledging to take sides each other if they travel nether attack.

Russia, which has tried to stave disconnected Western sanctions by steering its system heavy toward subject production, was accused by South Korea successful February of raw materials and nutrient to North Korea successful speech for weapons.

Ukrainian troops besides said they've been uncovering North Korean weapons utilized against them. One study by nan Conflict Armament Research group recovered that missiles manufactured by Pyongyang this year were apt already being fired successful Ukraine.

Such reports of North Korea's rapport pinch Russia and engagement successful nan warfare person prompted questions astir nan consequence successful nan coming weeks from South Korea, which is already 1 of nan world's fastest-rising defense manufacturing industries.

In March 2024, it became nan state pinch the 10th largest arms export market, riding a activity of European countries boosting their defense spending arsenic nan Ukraine warfare rages.

Poland, for example, struck a $22 cardinal woody successful November 2023 to bargain arms from South Korea.

Seoul's laws prohibit nan violative weapons it sells from being transferred to Ukraine, but it is now weighing nan action of striking down that ban fixed Pyongyang's caller engagement successful nan war.

That measurement will apt person to beryllium approved by nan South Korean Legislative Assembly.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's management has considered sending teams to observe North Korean troops successful Ukraine, which it says will not require parliamentary consent. But guidance leaders successful Seoul person condemned this people of action as unconstitutional, saying it must beryllium justified by a much contiguous threat to South Korea.

Russia's Ministry of Defense did not respond to a petition for remark sent extracurricular regular business hours by Business Insider.