Pentagon sees no signs of North Korea sending troops to Russia

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said this at a briefing on Monday, July 1, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I don't have anything for you on that," she said, commenting on whether the Pentagon sees any signs that North Korea has sent its troops to Russia to support its war effort in Ukraine.

At the same time, Singh stressed that the U.S. is aware that North Korea is supporting Russia's efforts in Ukraine with supplying them with different military support.

In this regard, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that it had yet to observe reporting that suggests that North Korean military personnel intend to participate in combat operations in Ukraine. However, according to ISW analysts, direct North Korean engineering support can free up Russian combat power for operations along the frontline and aid Russian efforts to expand military infrastructure and defensive fortifications in occupied Ukraine.

South Korean TV network TV Chosun, citing a South Korean government official, reported on June 21 that North Korea could earn up to $115 million in unspecified foreign currency each year from Russia if it dispatches three or four engineering brigades to occupied Ukraine. At the same time, it was stated that South Korea expects North Korea to dispatch a large-scale engineering force to occupied Donetsk region as early as July 2024.