US defence chief confirms presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has confirmed that the US government has evidence that North Korea has sent military forces to Russia, but he told reporters that the purpose of the deployment was not yet clear.

Ukraine and South Korea have repeatedly accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia to aid in its ongoing war. NATO and the United States had previously not confirmed the troop movements, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Washington Post.

“Our analysts … continue to look at this. Now we are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops that have gone to … Russia,” Austin said. “What exactly they’re doing is left to be seen. But, yes, there is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia,” he added, using the abbreviation for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Asked about the intent of North Korea’s deployment, Austin said the United States is still trying to determine that.

“If they’re co-belligerents, if their intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf, that is a very, very serious issue,” he said. “It will have impacts, not only in Europe. It will also impact things in the Indo-Pacific as well.”

Austin said it was unclear what North Korea would get out of the deployment. But he said it suggested significant weaknesses in the military capability of Russia, which has had to tap allies Iran and North Korea for aid in its war against Ukraine.

“This is an indication that he may be even in more trouble than most people realize,” Austin said of President Vladimir Putin.

By Khagan Isayev