٠٠:٠٣:٥٢Mandatory credit: The White House
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby claimed the US had 'intelligence' of 'at least 3,000' troops from the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) were in Russia - but admitted the administration didn't know what they might be doing there - during a press briefing in DC on Wednesday.
We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability. After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military," he speculated.
He was also asked about a new security pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, set to be ratified this Thursday by Russia's State Duma.
"Russia and North Korea have this mutual security pact. If they were to use North Korean troops against Ukrainians in Kursk, would it be legitimate to try to reclaim sovereign territory, or would that be seen as an escalation?" the journalist commented.
"I don't want to get ahead of where we are right now and hypothesise what these troops may or may not be doing and if the Russians are going to deploy them, where are they going to deploy them, whether it will be inside Russia or inside Ukraine. Let me just please go back to what I said before: if these North Korean troops are employed against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets," Kirby stated.
Last weekend, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenksy claimed he had 'clear data' that "people from North Korea are also being supplied to Russia, and these are not just workers for production facilities, but also military personnel."
Moscow and Pyongyang have previously denied such claims, while NATO chief Mark Rutte also said he couldn't confirm "reports that North Koreans are actively now as soldiers engaged in the war effort.”
DPRK 'moved 3,000 soldiers into Russia'... but we don't know what they're doing! - Kirby on latest allegations, claims troops 'legitimate targets' if deployed in Ukraine
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby claimed the US had 'intelligence' of 'at least 3,000' troops from the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) were in Russia - but admitted the administration didn't know what they might be doing there - during a press briefing in DC on Wednesday.
We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability. After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military," he speculated.
He was also asked about a new security pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, set to be ratified this Thursday by Russia's State Duma.
"Russia and North Korea have this mutual security pact. If they were to use North Korean troops against Ukrainians in Kursk, would it be legitimate to try to reclaim sovereign territory, or would that be seen as an escalation?" the journalist commented.
"I don't want to get ahead of where we are right now and hypothesise what these troops may or may not be doing and if the Russians are going to deploy them, where are they going to deploy them, whether it will be inside Russia or inside Ukraine. Let me just please go back to what I said before: if these North Korean troops are employed against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets," Kirby stated.
Last weekend, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenksy claimed he had 'clear data' that "people from North Korea are also being supplied to Russia, and these are not just workers for production facilities, but also military personnel."
Moscow and Pyongyang have previously denied such claims, while NATO chief Mark Rutte also said he couldn't confirm "reports that North Koreans are actively now as soldiers engaged in the war effort.”
Mandatory credit: The White House
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby claimed the US had 'intelligence' of 'at least 3,000' troops from the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) were in Russia - but admitted the administration didn't know what they might be doing there - during a press briefing in DC on Wednesday.
We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability. After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military," he speculated.
He was also asked about a new security pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, set to be ratified this Thursday by Russia's State Duma.
"Russia and North Korea have this mutual security pact. If they were to use North Korean troops against Ukrainians in Kursk, would it be legitimate to try to reclaim sovereign territory, or would that be seen as an escalation?" the journalist commented.
"I don't want to get ahead of where we are right now and hypothesise what these troops may or may not be doing and if the Russians are going to deploy them, where are they going to deploy them, whether it will be inside Russia or inside Ukraine. Let me just please go back to what I said before: if these North Korean troops are employed against Ukraine, they will become legitimate military targets," Kirby stated.
Last weekend, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenksy claimed he had 'clear data' that "people from North Korea are also being supplied to Russia, and these are not just workers for production facilities, but also military personnel."
Moscow and Pyongyang have previously denied such claims, while NATO chief Mark Rutte also said he couldn't confirm "reports that North Koreans are actively now as soldiers engaged in the war effort.”