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) < > Historic Winter Storm Hits Texas and Northern Gulf Coast Jan 21, 2025 7:54 AM CST Melania Trump Steals Spotlight With Navy Hat Jan 20, 2025 9:01 PM CST PM: Girls' Deaths Must Lead to Change Jan 21, 2025 7:50 AM CST Trump Mistakenly Places Spain in BRICS Bloc Jan 21, 2025 11:23 AM CST Masked Group Vandalizes Portland Elections Building Jan 21, 2025 2:30 PM CST Wisconsin GOP Pushes to Alter Ballot-Removal Law Jan 21, 2025 12:57 PM CST Jury Selection Begins for Ex-Prosecutor's Trial in Georgia Jan 21, 2025 12:32 PM CST Southern California Faces Heightened Wildfire Risk Amid Strong Winds Jan 21, 2025 1:15 AM CST Trump's Claim About Splitting the Atom Is Shot Down Jan 21, 2025 7:56 PM CST Illegal Gold Mining Ringleader Escapes With Police Help Jan 20, 2025 11:53 AM CST Teen Pleads Guilty in Taylor Swift Dance Class Attack Jan 20, 2025 7:55 AM CST Strong Earthquake Hits Southern Taiwan Jan 21, 2025 3:15 AM CST A$AP Rocky Faces Trial for Alleged Gunfire Incident Jan 21, 2025 8:57 AM CST High Winds Fuel New Wildfires in Southern California Jan 21, 2025 8:51 AM CST Gay Couples in Thailand Prep for Historic Day Jan 21, 2025 11:29 AM CST Brittney Griner Ventures Into WNBA Free Agency Market Jan 21, 2025 10:56 AM CST Colombian President to Declare Emergency Amid Guerrilla Attacks Jan 21, 2025 2:15 AM CST Olympic Refugee Boxer Is Going Pro Jan 21, 2025 1:09 PM CST See 4 more photos Report an error