North Korean troops presumably deployed to Kursk Oblast, but unclear why – US National Security Coordinator

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, has said that the White House believes that it is possible that some North Korean troops will be deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, but the US does not know what they will do there.

Source: Voice of America with reference to Kirby’s briefing 

Quote: "That said, we believe that it is certainly possible, and I’d just go so far as to say perhaps even likely, that at least some of these North Korean troops could be deployed to the Kursk area. But in what capacity, for what purpose, that still remains unclear."

Background:

• On 24 October, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence reported that the first North Korean military units that have undergone training at training grounds in eastern Russia had arrived in the war zone. They were spotted in Russia's Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces are conducting an operation, on 23 October.
• On 23 October, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea had sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support the occupation forces in the war against Ukraine and is also trying to isolate the families of selected soldiers in a certain place to prevent information from spreading.
• US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told journalists in Rome on 23 October that the Pentagon has evidence that North Korean troops have been deployed in Russia, but what they are doing there is still unknown and will need to be investigated.
• On 18 October, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, confirmed that about 11,000 North Korean infantrymen were currently undergoing training in Russia’s east. They will be ready to take part in combat actions against Ukraine as early as 1 November. Ukrainian intelligence expected the arrival of the first North Korean troops on the Kursk front on 23 October.
• On 13 October, Zelenskyy said that North Korea was supplying Russia not only with weapons but also with personnel for its military forces, and called on partners to increase their support for Ukraine. On 14 October, Zelenskyy announced that North Korea had essentially joined the war. On 17 October, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia intended to involve about 10,000 soldiers from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.

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