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US claims 8,000 North Korean troops at Ukraine border ready for combat

US claims 8,000 North Korean troops at Ukraine border ready for combat

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The US and South Korea claim that approximately 8,000 to 11,000 North Korean troops have been stationed in Russia, near the border with Ukraine. This figure is a significant increase from the previous day, when US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that only some North Korean troops had moved towards the Ukrainian border. However, Russia has avoided confirming or denying the presence of these troops, with a US ambassador questioning a Russian representative about the matter.

UN Security Council
1. We strongly urge (North Korea) to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
Choe Son Hui
North Korean Foreign Ministry
1. Our traditional, historically friendly relations, which have travelled the tested path of history, today … are rising to a new level of relations of invincible military comradeship.
2. And we also assure that until the day of victory we will firmly stand alongside our Russian comrades.
Sergei Lavrov
Russian Foreign Ministry
1. We are deeply grateful to our Korean friends for their principled position regarding the events that have now unfolded in Ukraine as a result of the West's course of advancing NATO to the east and encouraging an openly racist regime to exterminate everything Russian.
2. I really appreciate today's opportunity to talk frankly in a comradely manner.
Lloyd Austin
US Department of Defense
1. This 10,000 won't come close to replacing the numbers that the Russians have lost.
2. If China is serious about its desire for de-escalation, it should be asking Russia some hard questions at this point and whether it intends to broaden this conflict by this kind of behavior.
3. I call upon them to withdraw their troops out of Russia.
4. Make no mistake, if these North Korean troops engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine, they would make themselves legitimate military targets.
Robert Wood
US Embassy
1. And I have a very respectful question for my Russian colleague: does Russia still maintain that there are no DPRK troops in Russia? That's my only question and final point.
2. China cannot credibly claim to be a voice for peace when it enables Russia to wage the largest war in Europe in decades. China's support to Russia is decisive. China's support is prolonging the war.
3. I would advise Chairman Kim to think twice about engaging in such reckless and dangerous behavior.
Anthony Blinken
White House
1. Putin has been throwing more and more Russians into a meat grinder of his own making in Ukraine. Now he's turning to North Korean troops, and that is a clear sign of weakness.
2. We've not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days.