Pentagon says 'small number' of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region; Biden concerned

The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that a "small number" of North Korean troops are successful Russia’s Kursk portion adjacent the Ukrainian border, adding that a mates of 1000 much soldiers are expected to get astatine immoderate time.

Last week, White House National Security communications manager John Kirby confirmed that betwixt aboriginal to mid-October, North Korea moved astatine slightest 3,000 troops into eastbound Russia.

Now, the Pentagon says astir 10,000 North Korean troops person been sent to Russia, and they are preparing to beryllium sent to the conflict lines alongside Russian troops successful their combat against Ukraine.

"We judge that the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has sent astir 10,000 soldiers successful full to bid successful eastbound Russia, and that these troops volition astir apt augment Russian forces adjacent Ukraine implicit the adjacent respective weeks," Pentagon property caput Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a quality briefing Tuesday. "A information of those soldiers person already moved person to Ukraine towards Russia's Kursk Oblast, adjacent the borderline with Ukraine."

NORTH KOREA SENDS WARNING TO SOUTH KOREA, SAYING TROOPS READY TO STRIKE IF MORE DRONES APPEAR

North Korean person Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin conscionable astatine the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport extracurricular Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Ryder said the troops are successful summation to a mates of 1000 others already successful the Kursk region, adding the Department of Defense (DoD) is acrophobic that Russia intends to usage the soldiers successful combat oregon to enactment combat operations against Ukraine.

"Indications that there's already a tiny fig [of North Korean troops] that are really successful the Kursk Oblast, with a mates of 1000 much that are either astir there, oregon owed to get imminently," helium said.

The Pentagon could not corroborate whether the North Korean soldiers were successful information wrong Ukraine, yet.

"Initial indications are that these troops volition beryllium employed successful immoderate benignant of infantry role," Ryder reiterated. "But again, what that could beryllium remains to beryllium seen. So, we're going to proceed to show closely."

NORTH KOREA HAS SENT TROOPS TO RUSSIA, PENTAGON CONFIRMS

A vessel and worker connected the determination adjacent Chasiv Yar, Ukraine, July 20, arsenic Russian forces participate the outskirts of the country successful the Donetsk region.  (Ethan Swope/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Like the DoD, President Biden expressed concerns astir North Korean soldiers preparing for conflict against Ukraine successful Russia.

After speaking astir infrastructure successful Baltimore connected Tuesday, a newsman asked Biden if helium was disquieted astir North Korean troops successful Russia.

"I americium acrophobic astir it, yes," helium said.

Biden was past asked if Ukrainians should onslaught back.

NORTH KOREA BLOWS UP PARTS OF INTER-KOREAN ROAD AND RAIL LINKS IN SYMBOLIC DISPLAY OF ANGER

President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talk astatine the 2023 NATO Summit successful Vilnius, Lithuania. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

"If they transverse into Ukraine, yes," Biden said.

Intelligence officials successful some South Korea and Ukraine had antecedently stated that North Korean troops were being transferred to Russia.

"What precisely are they doing? Left to beryllium seen. These are things that we request to benignant out," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said.

SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE SAYS NORTH HAS SENT TROOPS TO AID RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE

North Korean soldiers march successful Pyongyang. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Russia and North Korea person denied the unit movements.

South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong told lawmakers that North Korea plans to deploy 10,000 troops to Russia by December, a fig that lines up with claims from Ukrainian intelligence.

South Korea said past week that it whitethorn commencement sending weapons to Ukraine successful absorption to the deployment. Officials said their effect would travel successful phases linked to the extent of practice betwixt Russia and North Korea.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

North Korea and Russia, locked successful abstracted confrontations with the West, person sharply boosted their practice successful the past 2 years. The U.S., South Korea and their partners person accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells, missiles and different conventional arms to Russia to assistance substance its warfare against Ukraine successful instrumentality for economical and subject assistance. 

In June, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact stipulating communal subject assistance if either state is attacked.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Greg Norman, arsenic good arsenic The Associated Press contributed to this report.