Officials say North Korea has sent troops to Russia. What would that mean for the war with Ukraine?

Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — American and South Korean officials say there’s evidence that North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of a nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine. It would be the first time a third country has put boots on the ground in the war. Iran has supplied Russia with drones and Western nations have provided Ukraine with modern weapons, financial and humanitarian assistance. Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate head says North Korean troops are arriving in Russia’s Kursk region as early as Wednesday to help Russian troops fight off a Ukrainian border incursion. Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence say North Korea will inject 10,000 troops. One analyst says that many soldiers could significantly destabilize Ukraine’s defense.