Russia Moves North Korean Troops to Ukraine Frontline, Raises Alarm

It's no secret that Russia and North Korea have been getting cozier since the war in Ukraine began. But things just got a whole lot more serious. Ukraine's military intelligence reported that Russia has started transporting North Korean troops to the frontline – and they're not doing it on military trucks. These troops are using civilian trucks with no markings, which makes it harder to pinpoint their exact location. A truck loaded with North Korean soldiers was recently stopped by Russian police. The driver didn't have any combat orders, but he was still allowed to continue on his way. The truck was heading towards the southwestern region of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces have been stationed since August. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that North Korean troops could join the fight in just a few days. This comes after Seoul and Washington confirmed that North Korea sent about 3, 000 soldiers to eastern Russia this month for training. The U. S. considers this deployment "highly concerning" and made it clear that these troops would be fair game in combat.South Korea has been supportive of Ukraine with humanitarian aid, but they've been hesitant to supply weapons. However, President Yoon Suk Yeol suggested that could change if North Korea sends special forces to Ukraine. "We won't sit idle, " he said, adding that they might reconsider their policy of not providing lethal weapons. Russia and North Korea have been strengthening their ties since the invasion of Ukraine last year. In June, they even signed a mutual defense pact. Neither country has openly confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops, but they also haven't denied it either. North Korea's Foreign Ministry said they don't feel the need to confirm the reports, but added that any such move would be in line with international law. Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a vague response when asked about satellite images showing North Korean troops in Russia. "Images are a serious thing, " he said, implying that the images could be accurate.