Ukrainians should strike back if North Korean troops cross into Ukraine: Biden

Biden further asked the Ukrainians to strike back at North Korea if their troops cross into Ukraine at any given point of time.

FILE – Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un smile during their meeting at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport outside Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

The North Korean troops have been deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the development on Monday and called it a sign of “growing desperation” by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security,” Rutte added after having a meeting with a South Korean delegation.

The Pentagon was also affirmative of the development and added that around 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia to train and combat against Ukrainian forces in the next several weeks.

Pentagon’s spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that some of the 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in eastern Russia for training. The US had last week projected that around 3,000 troops have been sent.

Sabrina further said, “A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine, and 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 Oblast near the border with Ukraine.”