US claims N-Korean troops would be ‘legitimate target’
Date
10/27/2024 8:01:48 AM
(MENAFN) The ongoing tensions surrounding the Ukraine conflict have taken a new turn, as U.S. officials express concern over the potential involvement of North Korean troops on Russia's side. John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, declared that if North Korean soldiers were to enter the fray supporting Russia, they would be considered “legitimate military targets” for Ukrainian forces. This statement follows remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who noted that an unspecified number of North Korean servicemen are currently in Russia, although their activities remain unclear.
According to Kirby, at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers reportedly entered eastern Russia earlier this month and have been assigned to various Russian training facilities. He emphasized that the U.S. lacks detailed information regarding the type of training these troops may be undergoing, but he raised concerns that they could potentially move to western Russia to participate in combat against Ukraine.
Kirby’s comments underscore a heightened alert regarding the implications of North Korea’s military involvement in the ongoing conflict. He made it clear that should these North Korean soldiers choose to engage in hostilities against Ukraine, they would be viewed as valid military targets by Ukrainian forces.
In response to these assertions, North Korean officials have dismissed the claims as “groundless and stereotype rumors,” while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has defended the collaboration between Russia and North Korea as a matter of national sovereignty. Peskov further noted that Russia has encountered “a lot of contradictory information” regarding North Korea's involvement.
The speculation around North Korea's role in the Ukraine conflict gained traction earlier this month when reports surfaced from Ukrainian media outlets claiming that North Korean troops had died in the Donetsk Region. However, these reports lacked substantiation, leaving the situation clouded in ambiguity.
As the situation evolves, the international community watches closely, aware that the entry of North Korean forces into the conflict could escalate tensions further and complicate the already volatile landscape of the war in Ukraine.
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