U.S. troops sent to Russia to the front line of the North Korean military...Dozens of casualties"

The U.S. government says North Korean troops sent to Russia have fought Ukrainian forces on the front lines of Kursk, Russia, resulting in dozens of casualties.Defense Ministry spokesman Pat Ryder

said North Korean troops joined the fighting in Kursk on 16th local time and there were signs of North Korean casualties, Reuters reported.This is the first time the U.S. authorities in

have officially confirmed the North Korean military's engagement and casualties.

"Recently, we have seen North Korean soldiers move from the second line of the battlefield to the front line and actively participate in combat operations," said National Security Advisor John Kirby.

"Now, North Korean soldiers are suffering damage on the battlefield," he said. "It is not a small amount of damage just because there are dozens of winners."

Kursk, where North Korean casualties occurred, is an area where Russia is struggling to recapture after being seized by Ukraine in August, and North Korean troops are known to have been intensively deployed.