Pentagon confirms some North Korea forces in Russia's Kursk

A couple of thousand North Korean troops are moving toward Russia's Kursk region and a small number are already there, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, saying initial indications suggested Russia might field them in infantry roles against Ukrainian troops.

"We remain concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk," Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters, adding he could not corroborate reports that North Korean troops were in Ukraine itself.

"We continue to monitor closely and are consulting with our Ukrainian partners, as well as other allies and partners."

Kursk is a Russian border area where Ukrainian forces staged a surprise incursion in August and hold hundreds of square kilometers of territory.