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) < > F-35 Fighter Jet Crashes in Alaska Jan 29, 2025 12:15 AM CST Youngest White House Press Secretary Makes Her Debut Jan 28, 2025 1:31 PM CST Dogs Survive Plane Crash, Find Homes as Tribute to Pilot 5 hours, 45 minutes ago Kim Jong Un Pushes Nuclear Expansion After Trump's Inauguration Jan 29, 2025 2:15 AM CST New Mexico Hunters Warned of Record PFAS Levels in Wildlife 6 hours, 30 minutes ago Music Stars Unite for FireAid Concert Benefiting Wildfire Relief 7 hours, 0 minutes ago Brittney Griner Joins Atlanta Dream, Ends 11-Year Phoenix Stint Jan 29, 2025 12:45 AM CST Utah Fights to Keep Sundance Film Festival as Relocation Looms 7 hours, 30 minutes ago Jake and Logan Paul Tease New HBO Max Project Jan 29, 2025 1:15 AM CST Daughter of Ex-President Zuma Faces Court Over Terrorism Charges 7 hours, 53 minutes ago Vatican Issues Ethical Guidelines for AI Use Jan 29, 2025 1:45 AM CST Antony Blinken Has a Book Deal Jan 28, 2025 10:35 AM CST Serbian PM Resigns Amidst Protests, Unrest Jan 28, 2025 1:49 PM CST Netanyahu Invited to White House by Trump Jan 28, 2025 1:36 PM CST X Partners With Visa to Launch Real-Time Payments System Jan 28, 2025 1:42 PM CST East Palestine, Norfolk Southern Reach $22M Settlement Over Derailment Jan 28, 2025 11:10 AM CST Iraqi Quran Burner Shot Dead Near Stockholm, 5 Arrested 1 hour, 4 minutes ago Plane Catches Fire in South Korea Jan 28, 2025 12:58 PM CST See 4 more photos Report an error