North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia will 'soon' fight, Pentagon says

The United States anticipates that the thousands of North Korean troops stationed in Russia will ” Soon “ fight Ukrainian forces, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said this Saturday, November 23.

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“On the basis of what [les soldats nord-coréens] have been trained, the manner in which they have been integrated into Russian formations, I fully expect to see them engaged in combat soon”the US Secretary of Defense told reporters from the Fiji Islands, where he is visiting.

While Ukraine is currently asking its Western allies for the latest generation of air defense systems to protect itself after the strike of a hypersonic ballistic missile, which Vladimir Putin ordered this Friday to be mass produced, promising new shots against the enemies of Moscow.

Orechnik, new Russian intermediate-range missile

Russia said it had struck the town of Dnipro, in Ukraine, last Thursday with this new intermediate-range Orechnik missile (up to 5,500 km), a heavy weapon with a strategic vocation but without its nuclear charge and whose firing from the Astrakhan region (southwest of Russia) – a first in this war – cast a chill in Europe.

“The Ukrainian Defense Minister is already in discussions with our partners for new air defense systems, precisely the kind of systems that can protect lives in the face of new risks”declared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message to his fellow citizens published Friday evening on social networks.

Ukraine is notably equipped with American Patriot systems – with which it claims to have already intercepted several Kinjal hypersonic missiles touted as “invincible” by the Kremlin – and their Franco-Italian equivalent Samp/T, but in too few numbers to protect all its cities.

But Russia once again asserts that with the Orechnik missile it has a device that is impossible to intercept and capable of reaching all countries in Europe.

“Serial production” of the Russian weapon

Russian President Vladimir Putin touted Friday “the power” of this weapon during a meeting with military officials broadcast on television, and ordered “start mass production”.

“We will continue these tests, especially in combat situations, depending on the situation and the nature of the threats to Russia’s security”he added, raising the threat of new strikes against Ukraine after it targeted Russian territory this week with American and British missiles.

American President Joe Biden lifted his veto on these shots last weekend, arguing in particular for the mobilization, alongside Russian troops, of these North Korean soldiers.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Saturday he expected to see ” Soon “ the approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia's Kursk region fight the Ukrainian army.