World / Russia US Gives Count of North Korean Troops in Russia As NATO confirms their presence in the Kursk region By Newser.AI Read our AI policy Posted Oct 28, 2024 3:25 PM CDT Copied NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak to journalists during a news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File) See 4 more photos The US has put a number on the amount of troops North Korea has sent to Russia to bolster its war against Ukraine: approximately 10,000 soldiers. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said portion of these troops have already advanced towards Ukraine. "We are increasingly concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk" region, she told reporters. NATO appeared to back up those concerns by confirming the arrival of some soldiers in the Kursk border region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized that this escalation represents a "dangerous expansion of Russia's war." The deployment underscores an intensifying collaboration between Russia and North Korea amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while not directly acknowledging the North Korean troop presence, underscored a recent joint security pact between Moscow and Pyongyang. Lavrov dismissed NATO's concerns saying, "Western military personnel long have been working in Ukraine." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) < > Magnus Carlsen Auctions Controversial Jeans for Charity Feb 21, 2025 2:07 PM CST Supreme Court Allows Alabamians to Sue Over Unemployment Claims Feb 21, 2025 12:09 PM CST US Home Sales Dip Amid Surge in Rates, Prices Feb 21, 2025 8:03 AM CST City's Entire Police Force Suspended Amid Corruption Allegations Feb 21, 2025 2:15 AM CST Train Kills 6 Elephants Near Sri Lanka Sanctuary Feb 21, 2025 1:45 AM CST Trump Hosts Black History Month Event Amid DEI Controversy Feb 21, 2025 1:15 AM CST As Pope Francis Recovers, Cardinals Address Possibility of Resignation Feb 21, 2025 12:45 AM CST Musk-Backed Group Funnels $1.6M Into Key Court Race Feb 21, 2025 12:15 AM CST See 4 more photos Report an error