Pentagon chief: Putin will not defeat Ukraine even with North Korean support
Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense (Getty Images)
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has gone to great lengths to acquire weapons from North Korea. However, the United States and its partners are discussing options for responding to Russia's engagement with North Koreans, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
According to Austin, the US is aware that North Korea has sent approximately 10,000 soldiers for training in eastern Russia. Some of these troops have already moved closer to Ukraine. Russia is also equipping North Koreans with clothing and weapons from its army.
Austin said he is increasingly concerned that the Kremlin plans to use these North Korean soldiers to support Russia's military operations in the Kursk region near the border with Ukraine. "Russia has signed UN Security Council resolutions committing to not providing military assistance to North Korea. Of course, we know that Putin has gone to great lengths to acquire weapons from North Korea and Iran," he said.
In his opinion, North Korea's involvement highlights that Putin is currently facing significant problems.
"We take this very seriously. We urge the Kremlin to change course. We fully understand the implications for the security of both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. Putin will not win in Ukraine, even with increased assistance from North Korea. But these deeply troubling developments only underscore the importance of our actions," emphasized the Pentagon chief.
Austin reported that Russia and North Korea are conducting certain training exercises and that about 10,000 North Korean troops have likely been sent to eastern Ukraine. They are moving equipment and conducting various drills there. It is also known that some of these forces have started to advance towards the Ukrainian border in the Kursk region.
He said that whether they will be involved in combat remains unknown, but if they are engaged, it raises significant concerns. The US remains troubled that they plan to use these troops in combat operations.
North Korea sending soldiers to war in Ukraine
At the beginning of October, it became known that Russia started involving North Korean military personnel in the war against Ukraine. Reports indicate that North Korea may have sent up to 12,000 soldiers to Russia, some of whom will be deployed in the Kursk region.
At the same time, the Financial Times reported that about 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been moved to the Kursk region, located 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
