31.The first North Korean soldiers were deployed to Kursk Oblast in late October, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported earlier. North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals, according to HUR.There have been no clashes between the North Korean and Ukrainian military so far, Blinken said, adding that they can happen "in the coming days.""One of the reasons that Russia is turning to these North Korean troops is that it's desperate. (Vladimir) Putin has been throwing more and more Russians into a meat grinder of his own making in Ukraine. Now he's turning to North Korean troops, and that is a clear sign of weakness," Blinken said.Russia has been training North Korean soldiers in artillery, drones, and basic infantry operations, including trench clearing, indicating that they "fully intend" to use these forces in front-line operations, according to Blinken.