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Defense Secretary Austin says there’s ‘a lot at stake’ if the US stops funding Ukraine
Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin speaks exclusively with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Rome, Italy, after his fourth trip to Ukraine on ‘Special Report.’
North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un has sent troops to Russia, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the troop movement in a statement, saying it would be a “a very, very serious issue” if North Korean troops deploy to Ukraine. South Korean intelligence stated that some 3,000 troops were sent to Russia and are currently being trained on drones and other equipment.
“What exactly are they doing? Left to be seen. These are things that we need to sort out,” Austin said.
Intelligence officials in both South Korea and Ukraine had previously stated that North Korean troops were being transferred to Russia.
NORTH KOREA BLOWS UP PARTS OF INTER-KOREAN ROAD AND RAIL LINKS IN SYMBOLIC DISPLAY OF ANGER
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un has sent North Korean soldiers to Russia. (Kristina Kormilitsyna via Getty)
Russia and North Korea have denied the troop movements.
South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong told lawmakers that North Korea plans to deploy 10,000 troops to Russia by December, a number that lines up with claims from Ukrainian intelligence.
SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE SAYS NORTH HAS SENT TROOPS TO AID RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE
So far, 3,000 troops have made the trip, but none have reportedly been deployed to battle.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says it would be “very” serious if North Korean troops were deployed to battlefields in Ukraine. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
South Korea said Tuesday that it may start sending weapons to Ukraine in reaction to the deployment. Officials said their response would come in phases linked to the depth of cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said it would be a “significant escalation” if North Korean troops fight alongside Russians in Ukraine.
Ukrainian service members may soon face North Korean troops on the front lines. (REUTERS/Alex Babenko)
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North Korea and Russia, locked in separate confrontations with the West, have sharply boosted their cooperation in the past two years. The U.S., South Korea and their partners have accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells, missiles and other conventional arms to Russia to help fuel its war against Ukraine in return for economic and military assistance. In June, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact stipulating mutual military assistance if either country is attacked.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.