Austin: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday highlighted a "good" likelihood of North Korean troops participating in combat to support Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly relying on foreign forces due to significant troop losses. According to Yonhap News Agency, Austin revealed during a press conference that Pyongyang has dispatched approximately 10,000 troops to train in eastern Russia, with some already moving closer to Ukraine. These North Korean personnel have received Russian uniforms and equipment, suggesting preparations for imminent involvement in the conflict. "They're doing this because Putin has lost a lot of troops, and he has a choice of either getting other people to help him or he can mobilize. He does not want to mobilize because then the people in Russia will begin to understand the extent of their losses," Austin stated after discussions with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Austin expressed c oncerns over the potential introduction of these troops into combat, noting that such actions reflect a sign of weakness rather than strength. He criticized Putin for failing to achieve strategic objectives despite facing a militarily inferior force over the past two and a half years. While warning that additional support from North Korea is unlikely to change the outcome for Putin, Austin underscored the importance of alliances, particularly with South Korea, referred to as the Republic of Korea, and other international partners committed to shared security and prosperity. He urged North Korean leadership to withdraw its forces from Russia, highlighting the risk of escalating the conflict in Ukraine. "Yes, it could encourage others to take action, different kinds of action, but I won't speculate on what could exactly happen, but there is a number of things that can happen," Austin remarked. Austin further called on North Korea to cease its destabilizing actions in both the Indo-Pacific region and now the European theater. Responding to inquiries about the potential consequences if North Korean troops are killed in combat with U.S.-provided weapons, Austin affirmed the right of Ukrainian soldiers to defend themselves. "They will do that with the weapons that we provided, others have provided. That's to be expected," he said, acknowledging the risks involved for North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces.