For the first time of the war, the Pentagon has assessed that North Korean troops appear to be in Russia. “We are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops that have, that have gone to… Russia,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters in Rome on Wednesday. “What exactly they’re doing, left to be seen.”

He also noted that “Our analysts… continue to look at this” – in reference to the intelligence community. “If they’re co-belligerents, if their intention is to participate in this war on Russia’s behalf, that is a very, very serious issue,” he said of the North Koreans. “It will have impacts, not only in Europe. It will also impact things in the Indo-Pacific as well.” The Ukrainian government has been loudly alleging that North Korean troops are already fighting Ukrainian forces in the east of the country.

In September 2023, via Reuters

The Pentagon chief strongly suggested that this is a sign of growing Russian weakness and manpower problems.

The Washington Post wrote, “Austin said it was unclear what North Korea would get out of the deployment. But he said it suggested significant weaknesses in the military capability of Russia, which has had to tap allies Iran and North Korea for aid in its war against Ukraine.”

“This is an indication that he may be even in more trouble than most people realize,” Austin emphasized in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This new US ‘confirmation’ marks a reversal of sorts. As recently as the start of this week the Pentagon refused to back Ukrainian and South Korean spy agency claims that some 10,000 North Korean troops are headed into the conflict. 

South Korean intelligence claimed that 1,500 DPRK troops had already been deployed to fight on behalf of Russia. 

“I’ve seen those reports in the media. I can’t confirm those reports at this point in time. This is something that we will certainly continue to investigate,” Austin said Sunday.

President Zelensky has been pushing the idea that the ‘enemies’ of the West have formed an axis to fight in Ukraine and ultimately push back NATO. He’s identified them as Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

He’s touted this curiously alongside desperate pleas for more urgent funding and weaponry from his Western backers. Kiev has especially sought long-range weapons for use inside Russian territory, and is now saying the war has been internationalized against Kiev. 

These reports of North Korean troops in Ukraine are giving fresh impetus to the hawks…

“If you clapped for Orbán two weeks ago, you are now on North Korea’s side.”

My speech on frozen Russian assets.

Ukraine must win. Russia must pay. Orbán must go. pic.twitter.com/BUsDxCt2jc

— Damian Boeselager (@d_boeselager) October 22, 2024

Some video clips of unknown context, origin or location have circulated online in the past days, purporting to show North Korean troops being outfitted by Russia’s military before deploying in Ukraine.

Pundits have described one circulating video as showing a base in Russia’s eastern Primorye region, which shares a small border with North Korea, incredibly far away from front lines in Ukraine.