The US says North Korean troops are fighting alongside Russia

North Korea has sent 10,000 troops to Russia, most of whom are stationed in the western Kursk Oblast and are taking part in combat operations, a Pentagon spokesman said during a Nov. 12 news conference.

Washington is repeating earlier warnings from Kiev that Pyongyang's troops have been deployed in the war zone and Russia's war against Ukraine is escalating unprecedentedly.

“Today I can confirm that over 10,000 (North Korean) soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia and most of them have been relocated to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun combat operations with Russian forces,” said spokesman Vedant Patel.

“Russian forces have trained the (North Korean) soldiers in artillery, UAV and basic infantry operations, including clearing trenches, which are crucial to front-line operations.”

According to Patel, the effectiveness of North Korean soldiers “will depend in large part on how well the Russians can integrate them into their military.”

Russia is assembling a force of 50,000 troops, including North Korean troops, to launch a counteroffensive against a Ukrainian advance in Russia's Kursk Oblast, The New York Times reported Nov. 10.

The new force comes at a time when Russia has recorded its worst losses in the past month, and the North Korean troops could replace injured and killed Russian soldiers, according to some experts.

There are currently clashes between Ukrainian and North Korean soldiers, said Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on November 5th. North Korean troops have already suffered losses, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on November 7, without mentioning the number.