In October, at least 3,000 soldiers from the DPRK arrived at Russian military training grounds in eastern Russia, and these mercenaries are currently undergoing training, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said during a briefing on October 23.

"We assess that between early- to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia. We assessed that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wonsan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia. These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia where they are currently undergoing training," he said.

Kirby did not rule out that after the training, the North Koreans could join the Russians in combat operations against the Ukrainian Armed Forces and that this is "certainly a highly concerning probability."

"After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military. We have briefed the Ukrainian government on our understanding of this situation, and we’re certainly consulting closely with other allies, partners, and countries in the region on the implications of such a dramatic move and on how we might respond," the White House speaker noted.