Russian leader Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un have forged closer ties as Moscow leans on Pyongyang to help fuel its war in Ukraine.GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesAs many as 8,000 North Korean troops are being deployed to Kursk, US officials said on Thursday.While they're not fighting yet, the US expects they'll enter combat "in the coming days."US State Secretary Antony Blinken said Russia has been training these men in trench warfare and UAVs.Thousands of North Korean troops have been moved to the frontline region of Kursk and are expected to enter combat "in the coming days," top US officials said on Thursday.US State Secretary Antony Blinken said that as many as 8,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to the battle-hit Russian territory, where Kyiv launched its counteroffensive this summer."We've not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days," Blinken said in a joint press conference with South Korean officials at the State Department.He said Russia has been training these soldiers to use artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, and infantry operations such as trench clearing.US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin added at the conference that the North Korean soldiers were being equipped with Russian uniforms and gear."All of that strongly indicates that Russia intends to use these foreign forces in frontline operations in its war of choice against Ukraine," Austin said."Make no mistake," he added.