North Korean troops in Russia escalate tensions with US
The United States must contemplate the possibility of taking "direct military action" in response to a potential incursion by North Korean troops into Ukrainian territory, stated Mike Turner, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
Turner, a member of the Republican Party, issued his statement after reports surfaced about thousands of North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia.
Calls for taking "direct military action"
The American portal The Hill reported that on Wednesday, the White House announced that according to American estimates, at least 3,000 North Korean military personnel are involved in training at bases in Russia's Far East.
— The Biden and Harris administration must clearly state that the involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict in Ukraine is unacceptable for the United States — emphasised Turner in his statement.
— If North Korean forces were to invade sovereign Ukrainian territory, the US should seriously consider taking direct military action against them — he added.
The prospect of North Korean military involvement in Russia's war with Ukraine has prompted calls for the United States to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons by Ukraine.
— I have long criticised the irrational policy of the US administration regarding restrictions on the use of American weapons by Ukraine against targets in Russia. If North Korean troops attack Ukraine from Russian territory, Ukraine should be allowed to use American weapons in response — stated Turner.
"Red line" for the USA
Earlier, Turner warned that the "red line" would be crossed if the North Korean troops, reportedly gathering in Russia, entered the battlefield in Ukraine.
"These troop movements, if true, are concerning and constitute an extreme escalation of the conflict in Ukraine," Turner wrote in a letter to President Biden. "They require an immediate response from the United States and our NATO allies to prevent the escalation of the conflict" — he added.
"North Korean troops attacking Ukraine from Russian territory or entering Ukrainian territory must be a red line for the United States and NATO" — argued the head of the intelligence committee. "Your administration must make this absolutely clear and unequivocal" — demanded Turner.
