U.S. says North Korean troops in Russia could join fight against Ukraine in 'coming days'

The U.S. expects North Korean troops in Russia to deploy into the fight against Ukraine "in the coming days," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

Blinken said 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in the Kursk region, situated near the Ukrainian border.

"Should these troops engage in combat or combat support operations against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military targets," he said.

"One of the reasons that Russia is turning to these North Korean troops is that it's desperate," he said. "This war has become a meat grinder of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's own making," Blinken added, claiming that Russian forces are experiencing more than 1,200 casualties per day.

Blinken also condemned the latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch from North Korea and urged all countries to demand North Korea cease its provocations.