The Pentagon asserts that North Korea has dispatched 10,000 soldiers to Russia, potentially for deployment against Ukrainian forces.
US President Joe Biden has stated that Ukrainian forces should engage North Korean soldiers “if they cross into Ukraine,” responding to allegations that Pyongyang has sent troops to support the Russian military.
The Pentagon reported this week that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers have arrived in Russia. Some are purportedly being transported for potential deployment against Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk Region, where sections of Ukrainian forces remain following an incursion in August.
When asked by the media on Tuesday if Kyiv should “strike back” against North Korean troops, Biden replied, “If they cross into Ukraine, yes.” He did not clarify the US stance should the troops remain within what Washington recognizes as Russian territory.
Moscow and Pyongyang signed a bilateral treaty earlier this year, outlining mutual military assistance in the event of an attack by a third party. Russian President Vladimir Putin has declined to confirm or deny reports of the presence of North Korean troops in Russia. He stated last week that what the two nations do to fulfill their obligations under the new agreement is solely between them.
Over the past several months, Ukrainian forces have encountered a series of setbacks on the battlefield. Some military analysts have suggested that Kyiv’s decision to send troops across the border into Kursk instead of reinforcing units in the east has contributed to the precarious situation.
Ukrainian General Dmitry Marchenko warned in an interview this week that the frontline was “collapsing,” attributing the situation to poor military leadership. He added that the army is also facing a shortage of munitions and exhaustion among troops deployed in the war zone.
According to officials, Kyiv intends to address its manpower shortage by drafting an additional 160,000 soldiers over the next three months. Earlier this year, the government overhauled the mandatory draft system, introducing stricter punishments for avoidance. Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod has estimated that the number of Ukrainian troops who have deserted or gone AWOL currently exceeds 100,000.
The Biden administration has pledged to support Kyiv “for as long as it takes” to achieve victory. Moscow has characterized the conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia, where Ukrainians serve as “cannon fodder.”