The US has warned that North Korean troops could be deployed to Ukraine in the coming days after it emerged that thousands of soldiers are stationed on the border between Russia and Ukraine, with many more believed to be on their way
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has issued a stark warning that thousands of North Korean soldiers are poised to be deployed to Ukraine "in the coming days."
Blinken revealed at a Washington press conference that around 8,000 North Korean troops are currently stationed at the Russia-Ukraine border. The US believes that North Korea has sent a total of 10,000 troops to Russia, where they have been based in training camps in the Far East and predominantly in the Kursk region.
Blinken detailed that these North Korean forces have undergone Russian training in "artillery, UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], basic infantry operations, including trench clearing" indicating their intended role on the frontline against Ukraine. The US has been predicting the entry of North Korean troops into Ukraine over the past few weeks.
This announcement is the most explicit statement yet concerning the involvement of foreign forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict since it erupted in February 2022. China, another close ally of Russia, has established a "no limits" partnership with Moscow.
Despite being a significant ally of Pyongyang, experts suggest that Beijing may not endorse the growing collaboration between Russia and North Korea, viewing it as destabilising for East Asia. Tensions also escalated between China and the US at a Security Council meeting on Thursday, with Washington accusing Beijing of providing extensive support for Russia's defence, reports the Express US.
Deputy U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Wood, criticised China's support for Russia, stating: "China cannot credibly claim to be a voice for peace when it enables Russia to wage the largest war in Europe in decades. China's support to Russia is decisive. China's support is prolonging the war" In response, China's deputy U. N.
Ambassador Geng Shuang accused Washington of "peddling anxiety, fabricating enemies and stoking confrontation."
adding, "We oppose the U.S. practice to smear China on the question of Ukraine and to conduct long-arm jurisdiction and sanction Chinese companies and entities on this question."
This comes shortly after North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, indicating potential advancements in its missile technology.