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) < > Ex-Prosecutor Arrested for Mayor's Brutal Killing 15 hours, 25 minutes ago Olympic Shot Put Legend Dies at 84 15 hours, 55 minutes ago Florida Schools Remove Iconic Books Amid Controversy 16 hours, 25 minutes ago DOJ Sues to Stop UnitedHealth's Amedisys Acquisition 16 hours, 55 minutes ago 11 Hurt When Explosion Rocks Louisville Business Nov 13, 2024 2:15 AM CST New Mexico Election Official Faces Online Threats Nov 13, 2024 1:45 AM CST Olympian Withdraws From Boxing Elections After Racist, Sexist Attacks Nov 13, 2024 12:45 AM CST Driver Dies After Bypassing Barricade on Damaged Highway Nov 13, 2024 12:15 AM CST Decades-Old Baby Swap Case Unfolds in Norway Nov 12, 2024 4:00 PM CST Waymo Expands Robotaxi Service to All of LA Nov 12, 2024 3:15 PM CST Renowned Artist Frank Auerbach Dies at 93 Nov 12, 2024 2:43 PM CST The Estimate for Fixing Tropicana Field Is In Nov 12, 2024 2:37 PM CST Spy Satellite Imagery Reveals Historic Battle Site in Iraq Nov 12, 2024 1:18 PM CST Thunberg Leads Protest Against Azerbaijan Hosting Climate Talks Nov 12, 2024 1:45 AM CST New Zealand's Prime Minister Apologizes for Decades of Abuse Nov 12, 2024 1:15 AM CST Man Detained After Car Hits Exercisers in Zhuhai Nov 12, 2024 12:45 AM CST 5 Found Dead in Linked Wichita Shootings Nov 12, 2024 12:15 AM CST See 4 more photos Report an error