White House Says North Korea Sent Thousands of Soldiers to Russia

Between early- to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into Eastern Russia. We assessed that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wonsan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia. These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in Eastern Russia, where they are currently undergoing training. We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military, but this is certainly a highly concerning probability. We have briefed the Ukrainian government on our understanding of this situation, and we’re certainly consulting closely with other allies, partners and countries in the region on the implications of such a dramatic move and on how we might respond. If Russia is indeed forced to turn to North Korea for manpower, this would be a sign of weakness, not strength, on the part of the Kremlin. It would also demonstrate an unprecedented level of direct military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, with security implications in Europe as well as the Indo-Pacific.