US Reports North Korean Troops in Russia’s Kursk Region, Potential for Battle within Days

An estimated 8,000 North Korean troops are currently located in Russia’s Kursk region and are likely to join Russian forces in fighting against Ukrainian forces near the Russia-Ukraine border soon, as announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Oct. 31.

The U.S. government has been monitoring a group of around 10,000 North Korean soldiers that recently arrived in Vladivostok, Russia, and are now moving west towards the Ukrainian border.

During a press conference in Washington on Thursday, Blinken, along with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and their South Korean counterparts, mentioned that up to 8,000 of the North Korean soldiers have reached the Kursk region and may soon engage in combat with Ukrainian forces on the Russian side of the border.

“While we have not seen these troops engage in combat with Ukrainian forces yet, we anticipate this will happen in the near future,” said Blinken.

Prior assessments by the U.S. Department of Defense indicated that the North Korean troops would primarily serve in an infantry role. However, Blinken suggested on Thursday that these troops might also support Russian forces with artillery and drone operations.

“If these troops participate in combat or combat support activities against Ukraine, they will be considered legitimate military targets,” Blinken emphasized.

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Initially, both Pyongyang and Moscow denied the deployment of North Korean forces, though Russian President Vladimir Putin did not completely refute the claim during an Oct. 24 press conference. Putin mentioned a mutual defense article in the Russia-North Korea partnership and stated that their actions within this article fall under their own jurisdiction.

In their statements on Thursday, Blinken and Austin characterized a potential deployment of North Korean forces in the Kursk region as a sign of Russian desperation and weakness.

Ukrainian forces initiated an offensive in Kursk on Aug. 6 and have managed to maintain control over some Russian territory since then.

Despite the arrival of 10,000 North Korean troops to aid Russia, Austin predicted that Ukrainian forces would still hold some Kursk territory, as Russia continues to face over 1,200 casualties daily, which the new troops won’t be able to offset.

Blinken and Austin reiterated their appeals for China to help control its allies in Russia and North Korea.

Blinken stated that U.S. officials have had extensive discussions with Chinese counterparts regarding the alleged deployment of North Korean troops, stressing that China has a responsibility to play a role in de-escalating tensions, not only due to its alliances with Russia and North Korea, but also as a member of the United Nations Security Council.

Blinken also expressed concerns about potential Russian military support to North Korea in exchange for the troop deployment.

“We are particularly concerned about any efforts by Russia to strengthen North Korea’s military capabilities. This should also raise alarm for China, as it can cause significant destabilization in the region,” Blinken remarked.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the international community, including China, to take a more decisive stance against the alleged North Korean troop movement.