The U.S. and its NATO allies have warned that dispatching North Korean troops to the front lines in Ukraine would represent a major escalation in the conflict between Moscow and the Washington-led West.

The U.S. said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have deployed to Russia and are training at several locations, calling the move very serious and warning that those forces will be “fair game” if they go into combat in Ukraine.

The United States said for the first time on Wednesday that it had seen evidence of North Korean troops in Russia, and South Korean lawmakers said about 3,000 soldiers had been sent to support the Kremlin's war in Ukraine,

Defense Secretary Austin says North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, a move that may show Moscow's shortage of fighters is worse than thought.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said North Korea has deployed troops to Russia, the first senior US official to confirm the development on the record, as North Korea and Russia have forged increasingly friendly ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.