North Korean troops have joined the battle, said Matthew Miller, and are thus “legitimate targets” for the Ukrainian military
According to the United States, North Korean troops stationed in the Kursk area of Russia are “legitimate targets” for the Ukrainian military.
US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters at a press conference on Monday (local time) that North Korean troops are “legitimate targets” for the Ukrainian military since they joined a conflict.
Miller said, “So, in our view, the North Korean soldiers who were deployed to Kursk are already legitimate targets,” in response to a question about Ukraine’s statement regarding the deaths of North Korean soldiers in Kursk and if they are becoming legal targets. They joined a conflict, thus they are fighters and the Ukrainian military has good reason to attack them.
North Korean troops have been killed in combat within Russia, as we have seen. And if they crossed the border into Ukraine, that would be another step up by the Russian government, and it would also be an escalation by the North Korean government to send North Korean troops to wage an aggressive war against a sovereign, independent country inside its borders. The North Korean government would undoubtedly escalate that, he said.
Miller’s remarks follow Ukraine’s announcement on Monday that North Korean forces engaged in combat with Russian military had sustained significant casualties during the weekend’s conflict in the Kursk area of Russia.
Matthew Miller said that the US implemented further sanctions in order to thwart Russian-North Korean military collaboration and promised to keep taking the necessary actions to allay US worries about such cooperation.
Matthew Miller said, “So, you have seen the United States just today impose additional sanctions to disrupt military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia,” in answer to a question about the US’s reaction to North Korea and Russia’s military cooperation. We also released a joint foreign ministry statement with the G7 a few days ago, and we will keep taking the necessary actions to allay our worries about that extraordinary collaboration.”
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, North Korean forces that had landed in Kursk in November participated in attacks over the weekend close to three villages, CNN said.
It said that during battles near the border villages of Plekhovo, Vorozhba, and Martynovka, some 30 North Korean troops were killed or wounded and three went missing.
According to a CNN story, Pentagon spokeswoman Major General Pat Ryder said on Monday that North Korean troops had been casualtied in Kursk.
Ryder said, “We do assess that North Korean soldiers have engaged in combat in Kursk, with Russia, alongside Russian forces.” He said, “We do have indications that they have suffered casualties, both killed and wounded.”
Although he would not disclose the exact number of wounded, he did state that they had been incorporated into Russian formations and are mostly being utilized “in an infantry role.” “A little more than a week ago, North Korean troops began actively fighting alongside Russia,” he claimed.
Pat Ryder said, “As we’ve said all along, those forces are legitimate military targets for the Ukrainians given that they are engaged in active combat ops.”
According to a CNN story, a Ukrainian frontline drone unit also posted a video on Sunday that showed the remains of more than 20 North Korean troops arranged on a field of ice. The video’s quality was insufficient to verify their identification.
