U.S. "Some North Korean troops are close to Ukra..."Attack target when field is deployed"

The U.S. Department of Defense says North Korea has sent 10,000 troops to Russia, some of which have already moved closer to Ukraine.

U.S. Deputy Pentagon spokesman Sabrina Singh told reporters that North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to eastern Russia for training, some of whom have already moved closer to Ukraine.

Singh said North Korean troops are expected to step up Russia's armed forces near Ukraine in the coming weeks.

Singh said North Korean soldiers are considered legitimate targets of attack as combat troops if they are deployed to the battlefield, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has already publicly warned.

At the same time, the U.S. explained that Ukraine would not impose restrictions on the use of U.S. weapons against the North Korean military.

Singh added that the use of North Korean soldiers would have serious implications for the security of the Indo-Pacific region.