Oct 28, 2024 - World

North Korean troops join Russia's in Ukrainian-occupied region: NATO chief

Ivana Saric

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addresses a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on October 16 — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a press conference in Brussels on Oct. 16. Photo: Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed Monday that North Korean troops had arrived in Russia's Kursk region near the Ukrainian border and called their deployment a "dangerous expansion of Russia's war."

Why it matters: North Korean soldiers deployed to the region could see combat against Ukrainian forces, which occupied hundreds of square miles of Russian territory after launching an incursion into Kursk in the summer.

Driving the news: Rutte confirmed the deployment of the North Korean troops at a press conference Monday.

Rutte called the deployment to Kursk a "significant escalation" in North Korea's involvement in the war and "a dangerous expansion of Russia's war."
The deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a "threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security," he added.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The big picture: The deployment of the troops comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned last week that North Korean soldiers could be deployed to combat zones within days.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said Friday that Russian forces in Kursk were preparing for the arrival of North Korean troops.
U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby warned last week that North Korean troops engaging in combat against Ukrainian forces would be "fair game."

Go deeper: What to know about the Russia-North Korea alliance

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North Korean troops join Russia's in Ukrainian-occupied region: NATO chief

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