From isolation to battlefield: North Korean troops could face reality check in Ukraine
The US and NATO on Wednesday confirmed that hundreds, possibly thousands, of North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, raising fears they are headed to fight in Ukraine. Experts warn it could backfire, as their exposure to the outside world and realisation they will serve as “cannon fodder” may spur what Kim Jong-un fears most: defections.
"There is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia," US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday, for the first time confirming an October 18 report by South Korea’s intelligence agency (NIS) that Pyongyang was propping up Moscow with manpower, and had, as a first step, sent around 1,500 soldiers to Russia’s far east to train for the trenches. The transfers had taken place between October 8-13, NIS reported, and warned that more were expected soon.
“[It’s] very, very serious,” Austin said.
Shortly afterwards, NATO also confirmed it had evidence of a North Korean troop deployment to Russia.
The news comes as South Korean lawmakers say the North Korean troop numbers have now swelled to as many as 3,000 and that the total is expected to land at around 10,000.
Immediate desertions?
This, he noted, will spark fear.
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