Pentagon Stands Firm as North Korea Allegedly Joins Russia’s War
The Pentagon announced Monday that it will not limit Ukraine’s use of American weaponry should North Korean forces join Russia in its war effort. This stance comes as NATO reports suggest North Korean military units have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, potentially intensifying the 2.5-year conflict. “The expanding military alliance between Russia and North Korea endangers both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized, following discussions with South Korean officials.
Rising Concerns Over North Korean Troop Presence Near Ukraine
U.S. intelligence indicates that approximately 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to eastern Russia for training, an increase from an earlier estimate of 3,000. Some of these forces have reportedly moved closer to the Ukraine border, sparking concerns that Russia may deploy them in combat. While the Kremlin initially dismissed reports of North Korean forces as “fake news,” Russian President Vladimir Putin later refrained from outright denial, stating it was Russia’s prerogative to manage its alliance with North Korea.
Zelensky Calls on Allies for Strong Response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the alleged deployment as a severe escalation, while Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Western allies for their lack of a robust response. Ukrainian military sources previously observed initial North Korean deployments in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have recently operated. The Pentagon, however, has yet to confirm the troop presence in Kursk but indicated that North Korean forces may be headed in that direction, hinting at a potential shift in battlefield dynamics.