South Korea’s defense ministry has reported that around 12,000 North Korean troops will be sent to Russia to assist in the conflict in Ukraine. The United States, along with South Korea and Ukraine, have confirmed this deployment and stated that any North Korean troops sent to Ukraine will be considered “fair game” for targeting. It is expected that the North Korean troops will include special forces, military engineers, and artillery units, with 3,000 already deployed. The troops are reportedly receiving training at multiple Russian military bases in eastern Russia. The United States has warned that North Korean soldiers in Ukraine will be treated the same as Russian soldiers, and that the Ukrainian military will defend itself against them. The possibility of casualties among North Korean soldiers in the conflict has been acknowledged. This deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia in Ukraine is seen as a significant provocation by the United States and its allies, who have vowed to take action in response.
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