United States expects North Korean soldiers to join the fighting against Ukrainian forces in the coming days, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said today, quoted by Reuters and France Press, BTA reported.
He warned that these soldiers would become legitimate military targets if they entered the battlefield. Russia is training the North Korean military in artillery, drone and base infantry operations, indicating it has "full intent" to use them in frontline operations, Blinken added at a press conference after a meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their South Korean counterparts.
According to America's top diplomat, there are 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia, including up to 8,000 in Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces continue to control Russian territory.
"We have not yet seen these troops deploy in combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days,", the Secretary of State noted. He added that at their meeting, the four ministers discussed different options for responses and pointed out that the use of the North Korean military in the "meat grinder" of the war against Ukraine is "a clear sign of weakness".
Washington will announce new security aid to Ukraine within days, Austin added at the same press conference. The U.S. and South Korea were in agreement that China must do more to deter North Korea's provocative actions, Blinken added, noting that he had a "tough conversation" with Beijing in the last week. Both China and the rest of the world know the concerns of the US and their expectations, "so we will see if they take action,", Blinken added. "I think this is a request that comes not only from us, but from countries all over the world," he stressed.