Officials say North Korea has sent troops to Russia. What would that mean for the war with Ukraine?

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine.

If the soldiers’ goal is fighting with Russia in Ukraine, it would be the first time a third country puts boots on the ground in the war. Other countries on both sides of the divide have sent military aid, including weapons and training: Iran has supplied Russia with drones, and Western nations have provided Ukraine with modern weapons and financial and humanitarian assistance.

South Korea’s spy chief told lawmakers that 3,000 North Korean troops are being trained to use equipment including drones before being they’re sent to fight in Ukraine. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters during a visit to Rome that “we are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops” that have gone to Russia.

“What exactly they’re doing — left to be seen,” Austin said. Neither Austin nor South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong provided details about how they knew about the North Korean troops, and many questions remain about the impact of North Korea’s participation.

What do we know about the North Koreans?

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate head, Kyrylo Budanov, told the online military news outlet “The War Zone” on Tuesday that North Korean troops were arriving in Russia’s Kursk region as early as Wednesday to help Russian troops fight off a Ukrainian border incursion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Monday that North Korean officers and technical personnel have already been spotted in Russian-occupied territories. He did not specify when.

“I believe they sent officers