Washington: The United States confirmed Tuesday that North Korean troops, who have been deployed to Russia's western front-line Kursk region, have begun engaging in combat operations against Ukrainian forces. According to Yonhap News Agency, Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, made the remarks amid growing concerns that the North's troop deployment could expand Moscow's protracted war in Ukraine with security implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. "We are incredibly concerned by Russia's decision to turn to the DPRK to supply soldiers to continue their brutal war against Ukraine," Patel told a press briefing. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Patel confirmed that over 10,000 DPRK soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, with most moving to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have commenced combat operations alongside Russian forces. He highlighted that Russian forces have been training North Korea n troops in essential military skills, including artillery, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations, and trench clearing. However, Patel emphasized that the effectiveness of North Korean troops on the battlefield will largely depend on Russia's ability to integrate them into their military operations. Challenges such as interoperability, language barriers, command and control, and communications need to be addressed. He mentioned that the United States is in close consultation with allies and partners in the region regarding the implications of this development. The deployment of North Korean troops is likely to be a topic of discussion during Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Brussels, where he will meet with counterparts from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union to discuss support for Ukraine. The confirmation of North Korean troops engaging in combat comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finalized the domestic ratification procedure for the "comprehensive strategic pa rtnership" treaty with Russia. This treaty, signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin during their summit in Pyongyang in June, includes a mutual defense clause, signaling deepening military cooperation between the two countries and a revival of their Cold War-era military alliance.