U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference on Oct. 31 that at least 8,000 North Korean forces have been deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast to participate in the war."North Korean troops have not yet engaged in combat, but this is a matter of days, not months," Zelensky wrote in his post on X. "When deployed, they will be pushed forward, sustaining heavy losses, as Russia tries to minimize its own troop mobilization."According to Blinken, 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.Urging Western powers to stand united behind Ukraine, Zelensky said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "testing the world’s reaction" with the influx of North Korean troops along the country's border.