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) < > EU Extends Russia Sanctions After Hungary Lifts Objections 2 hours, 53 minutes ago Ancora Challenges Nippon Steel's US Steel Takeover 3 hours, 33 minutes ago Car Hits Pedestrians Leaving Eagles Game 3 hours, 42 minutes ago Fire Ravages Historic Paris Town Hall; Bell Tower Damaged 5 hours, 24 minutes ago Trial to Challenge North Dakota's Gender-Affirming Care Ban Begins 11 hours, 31 minutes ago Sweden Investigates Suspected Sabotage of Baltic Sea Fiber Optic Cable 12 hours, 1 minute ago Rebels Claim Capture of Congo's Key City Goma Amid Panic 12 hours, 31 minutes ago Percival Everett Wins Carnegie Medal for Fiction Excellence 13 hours, 1 minute ago Taylor Swift Cheers Chiefs' Victory 13 hours, 31 minutes ago Rose Byrne Stars in Riveting Sundance Thriller Jan 26, 2025 10:37 AM CST UN Shares Stats on Child Deaths in Gaza Jan 26, 2025 10:31 AM CST Trump Dismantles Biden's Environmental Justice Policies Jan 26, 2025 9:48 AM CST Chock and Bates Claim Fourth Consecutive US Ice Dance Title Jan 26, 2025 9:25 AM CST Air Force Cuts Historic Videos to Meet Trump's DEI Directive Jan 26, 2025 9:16 AM CST Holocaust Survivor Tells His Story as Often as He Can Jan 25, 2025 12:09 PM CST Amid Economic Crisis, Cuba Opens Luxury Hotel Jan 25, 2025 9:19 AM CST To Combat Pollution, Bangkok Offers Free Public Transport Jan 25, 2025 8:41 AM CST Reigning Aussie Open Champ Sabalenka Throws Racket After Upset Jan 25, 2025 8:00 AM CST See 4 more photos Report an error