US confirms North Korean troops in Russia amid fears over Ukraine

The United States said on Wednesday that North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, raising the possibility that they will be sent to fight in Ukraine – a claim made by South Korea and the Ukrainian government in Kiev.

The move could show that Moscow’s manpower shortage amid exorbitant casualties is worse “than most people realize,” Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said.

“We see evidence that (North Korean) troops have gone to Russia,” Austin told reporters traveling with him in Rome. “What exactly they do remains to be seen.”

It was the first official U.S. confirmation of reports from South Korean intelligence that thousands of North Korean troops had recently appeared in eastern Russia for training. Austin said the U.S. is still trying to determine whether to deploy to Ukraine. If so, he warned, it would be a significant escalation.

“If they are co-belligerents, their intent is to engage in this war on behalf of Russia, that is a very, very serious issue,” Austin said.

South Korea has said 3,000 North Korean troops are already in Russia and receiving training. Ukraine has seconded these claims.

Moscow and the North Korean government in Pyongyang have expanded their military ties in recent months as part of an anti-American partnership. Both countries previously denied South Korea’s claims that North Korean troops are prepared for fighting in Ukraine.