The U.S. reports 8,000 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk, sparking tensions at the Security Council, while sanctions target nearly 400 entities for evading measures against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Wood, told the Security Council on Thursday that the United States has information showing that 8,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia’s Kursk region.

Wood respectfully questioned his Russian counterpart, asking, "Does Russia still insist there are no DPRK troops on Russian soil?" referring to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Moscow has not explicitly confirmed or denied the presence of North Korean troops, while North Korea, after first denying it, now argues that deploying troops aligns with international law.

The U.S., Britain, South Korea, Ukraine, and others claim Russia’s use of North Korean troops breaches U.N. resolutions and the U.N. Charter, with Ukraine identifying three North Korean generals reportedly accompanying the troops in Russia.

At the Security Council on Thursday, tensions arose between the U.S. and China over accusations that Beijing is heavily supporting Russia’s defense industry. China’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang denied providing weapons to any party in Ukraine, stating China regulates dual-use items under global standards, and accused the U.S. of “stoking confrontation.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. imposed sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals from over a dozen countries, including China, to counter sanctions evasion related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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