Ohio Congressman Mike Turner, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, is calling for an urgent briefing from the White House amid alarming reports of North Korean soldiers potentially joining the fight in the Russia-Ukraine war—an escalatory move that Turner labels as crossing a crucial “red line.”
During a Brussels news conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed serious concerns about North Korea, a close ally of Russia, allegedly preparing to deploy thousands of troops to support Moscow against Ukraine. Following this, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence revealed that close to 11,000 North Korean infantry troops are currently training in eastern Russia.
Adding to the situation, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported that around 1,500 North Korean soldiers have already been sent to aid Russian forces. These troops were reportedly transferred to the Russian port city of Vladivostok by naval ships and equipped with Russian uniforms, weapons, and counterfeit IDs.
In a letter to President Biden, Turner emphasized the seriousness of this development, expressing that the deepening military partnership between Russia and North Korea represents a troubling escalation in the Ukraine conflict. “The entry of North Korean troops into Ukraine or operations from Russian territory should be a clear red line for both the U.S. and NATO,” he stated, urging the administration to make this position unequivocally clear.
Turner is also seeking an “immediate classified briefing” for the House Intelligence Committee regarding the potential involvement of North Korean troops in escalating the conflict.
Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has forged stronger ties with various Western adversaries, including China, Iran, and North Korea, in response to international sanctions crippling its economy.
While NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte noted that current information does not confirm the active engagement of North Korean soldiers, he acknowledged that this situation could evolve. Similarly, the Pentagon has not been able to verify these troop movements but recognizes the growing military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang as a matter of concern, as highlighted by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
In contrast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these reports, labeling them as “fake news.” Interestingly, Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne reported that some North Korean soldiers may have deserted shortly after arriving on the battlefield, with Russian military efforts ongoing to locate these missing troops.