Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed North Korean troops sent to fight in Ukraine as “heroic” in a letter to Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media reported Friday.
In a letter marking the anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, Putin recalled how Soviet Red Army troops and North Korean forces fought together to end Japan's colonial occupation.
“The bonds of military friendship, goodwill and mutual aid, which were consolidated in the days of the war long ago, remain solid and reliable even today,” Putin said in a letter revealed by North Korean state media.
“This was demonstrated by the heroic participation of the DPRK soldiers in liberating the territory of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian occupiers,” he said, according to state news agency KCNA.
“The Russian people will keep forever the memories of their bravery and self-sacrifice.”
Putin added that the two countries would continue to “act jointly and effectively defend their sovereignty and make a significant contribution to establishing a just and multi-polar world order.”
Putin’s letter came alongside a visit by a Russian delegation to Pyongyang, where the State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin thanked Kim for sending “excellent soldiers” to Ukraine, KCNA reported.
Kim, meanwhile, said the delegation's visit would promote “a new level of development of the DPRK-Russia relationship.”
He also mentioned that he had a phone call with Putin on Wednesday, agreeing to expanded bilateral cooperation and “closer contact and communication between the two countries.”
Russia and North Korea have been forging increasingly closer ties, with the two countries signing a mutual defence pact last year, when Putin visited the reclusive state.
In April, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had deployed a contingent of its soldiers to the front line in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.
South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have said Pyongyang sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region in 2024, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
