Washington, 30 October 2024 (dpa/MIA) - US defence chief Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that Washington is "increasingly concerned" about the possible deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia's war against Ukraine.

He said some of the thousands of North Korean soldiers sent to Russia have already moved closer to the border with Ukraine, and that they are wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian equipment.

The defence secretary said the Kremlin apparently intends to use the North Koreans to support Russian troops in the Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, a development he called "disturbing."

The US estimates around 10,000 soldiers have been sent from North Korea to Russia so far.

"Turning to a pariah state like North Korea just underscores how much trouble [Russian President Vladimir Putin] is in," Austin said at a press conference.

"We take this very seriously. We urge the Kremlin to change course," he said.

South Korean intelligence had previously said that North Korean troops in Russia were wearing Russian uniforms and had been given false identities to conceal their true origins.

MIA file photo