US: Russia escalated the conflict in Ukraine by deploying North Korean troops

(Patria) - Washington says Russia is escalating the conflict in Ukraine by deploying North Korean troops, after the Kremlin warned that Washington would deepen its involvement in the war by allowing Ukrainians to attack deep into Russia with US-made weapons.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller refused to confirm at a briefing that the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden had decided to allow strikes, but reiterated that the US would "always adapt and adjust the capabilities we provide to Ukraine when it is appropriate."

Reuters reported on Sunday that the Biden administration had decided to allow Ukraine to carry out strikes, a move that US officials speaking on condition of anonymity said was a response to the presence of North Korean troops in the conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the outgoing administration was pouring fuel on the fire and seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia's Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, told a Security Council session on Monday, citing media reports, that the Biden administration had issued "suicidal permits to Zelensky to use long-range weapons to attack inside Russia".

"Perhaps Joe Biden, for many reasons, has nothing more to lose, but we are stunned by the short-sightedness of the leadership of the United Kingdom and France," he said.

"They do not want to play into the hands of the outgoing administration and are drawing not only their countries but the whole of Europe into
a large-scale escalation with drastic consequences," Nebenzia added.

Miller had said earlier on Monday that Russia had repeatedly escalated the conflict, pointing to 11,000 North Korean soldiers that the US says have been deployed and clashed with Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region.

"That is a major escalation by Russia to bring an Asian military into a conflict in Europe," Miller said, adding that the US response would be firm. "We will continue to do what is appropriate to hold Russia accountable for its actions, including its escalatory actions, and to hold North Korea accountable for its escalatory actions."

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told reporters at the United Nations that the presence of North Korean troops was a "major, major escalation" and pledged to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.