U.S. State Department: North Korean troops in Russia are legitimate targets for Ukraine; crossing the border would escalate tensions.

North Korea has already incurred losses among its military personnel in the Kursk region. The potential deployment of DPRK soldiers to Ukraine for combat operations would be seen as an escalation of the conflict.

According to RBK-Ukraine, this was stated by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

During a briefing, Miller was asked whether North Korean military personnel would be legitimate targets for Ukraine if they crossed the border.

He responded that in the view of the U.S., "North Korean military personnel already deployed in the Kursk region are legitimate targets."

"They have entered the war, and as such, they are combatants and are legitimate targets for Ukrainian forces," he emphasized.

According to him, he has already seen North Korean soldiers who have died on the battlefield in Russian territory.

"And if they cross the border into Ukraine, it would represent another escalation by the Russian government, as well as an escalation by the North Korean government, which would send North Korean troops to conduct an aggressive war against an independent, sovereign state within the borders of that state," he stated.

The State Department representative believes this would be an absolute escalation by the North Korean government. That is why in recent weeks, the U.S. has taken steps aimed at enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities.

"And we will continue to do so," he concluded.

DPRK Troops in the Kursk Region

Yesterday, President Zelensky stated that the Russian Federation has begun using North Korean soldiers in battles in the Kursk region. The head of state noted that DPRK soldiers have already suffered losses.

Additionally, the Pentagon confirmed that there are dead and wounded among the North Korean soldiers sent to the Kursk region.