The alliance between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin is well-known.

During their last meeting in June, the two leaders established a diplomatic and military agreement. Reports indicate that North Korea has already sent numerous containers filled with munitions to support Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.

Now, the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine claim that Kim has escalated his support for Russia by sending North Korean soldiers to participate in the conflict in Ukraine.

Here’s what is known regarding the allegations about North Korean troops in Ukraine.

What proof exists of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine?

On Wednesday, U.S. officials revealed they have information indicating that North Korea dispatched 3,000 troops to military facilities in Russia.

According to John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, “While we are uncertain if these soldiers will engage in combat alongside Russian forces, the potential for this is certainly alarming.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated on Friday that intelligence suggests these new troops could be sent to combat zones “as soon as” October 27 or 28.

Zelenskyy emphasized that North Korea’s direct involvement in military operations should be met with significant pressure on both Moscow and Pyongyang to adhere to the UN Charter and face consequences for this escalation, according to a post on X.

Ukrainian intelligence has estimated a much larger presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine, claiming approximately 12,000 troops, including 500 officers and three generals, are already stationed across five military facilities in Russia.

On Thursday, the intelligence agency reported that the first North Korean soldiers, trained in Russia, have been dispatched to Kursk, near Ukraine’s northern border, where Ukrainian forces had previously undertaken an incursion. The agency noted that their presence was first documented on Wednesday.

The Dutch Defense Minister, Ruben Brekelmans, corroborated these findings on Friday, stating the Netherlands had intelligence confirming the deployment of at least 1,500 North Korean troops to Ukraine. He mentioned that Russia appears to be assessing the global response to this initial troop movement.

Recently, South Korean authorities reported that their intelligence agency had used facial recognition technology and AI to uncover evidence of 1,500 North Korean officers arriving in Russia.

What has been Russia’s response?

The Kremlin had initially rejected the claims, labeling them as “fake news.”

However, on Friday, Putin softened that stance, asserting that troop deployments are a matter of Russian sovereignty.

He told state media, “When we need to make a decision, we will make it, it’s our business whether we utilize these forces or not, and whether they are necessary.”

How are world leaders responding?

Swift condemnation of the reported troop movement has been expressed by Ukraine and its allies.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office stated to Reuters that it is exploring whether to pursue charges of aggression against North Korean officials due to the troop deployment.

During a summit on Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the situation.

Yoon stated that sending the troops “is a provocation that extends beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe, posing a threat to global security” and violates international law and U.N. resolutions.

Several U.S. lawmakers have also expressed their concerns.

In a letter to Biden, Republican Rep. Mike Turner, chair of the House Intelligence Committee,

Last week, there were calls for the U.S. and NATO to establish the deployment of troops to Ukraine as a “red line.”

On Wednesday, it was stated that the U.S. should contemplate “direct military action” if North Korean forces were to become involved.

What role does Elon Musk play in the Ukraine Conflict?

This comes amidst revelations that Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual in the world, has maintained regular communication with Vladimir Putin for almost two years.

According to a Wall Street Journal report released on Thursday, Putin once requested that the billionaire tech entrepreneur refrain from activating internet services over Taiwan through his Starlink satellite firm, as a favor to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Musk quickly sent broadband internet equipment from Starlink to Ukraine.

However, concerns were raised by supporters of Ukraine when Musk retracted Ukrainian military access to Starlink in 2022, hindering a planned operation against Russian naval vessels.

Musk explained on X, “If I had complied with their request, then SpaceX would be directly complicit in a significant act of war and escalation of conflict,” he stated.

In response, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and other lawmakers have called for an inquiry.

Currently, reports from The Washington Post indicate that Starlink is also being used by Russian forces, who rely on it for targeting Ukrainian troops with drones and artillery. Once a crucial asset for the Ukrainian military, Starlink’s performance in Ukraine has reportedly decreased, as noted by CNN.