Trending 
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has reaffirmed his country’s unwavering support for Russia, declaring that Pyongyang will “always be with Moscow” in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to state media reports released on Wednesday.
The statement came in a letter sent by Kim on Tuesday, in which he thanked Putin for his congratulations following his reappointment as head of North Korea’s top governing body.
“I express my sincere thanks to you for sending warm and sincere congratulations,” Kim wrote, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), referencing what he described as the “heavy duty” of his leadership role.
Kim used the message to emphasise the growing strategic alignment between both countries, particularly in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Today the DPRK and Russia are closely cooperating to defend the sovereignty of the two countries,” he stated, before adding: “Pyongyang will always be with Moscow. This is our choice and unshakable will.”
Relations between the two nations have deepened significantly since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Intelligence assessments from South Korea and Western agencies indicate that North Korea has supplied Russia with thousands of troops, along with artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems.
Many of these troops are believed to have been deployed to the Kursk region, with estimates suggesting around 2,000 fatalities and thousands more injured.
Analysts argue that this military assistance is part of a broader exchange, with Russia reportedly providing North Korea with food supplies and advanced weapons technologies.
The strengthening alliance was formalised during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, where both leaders signed a defence agreement committing each country to provide immediate military assistance if the other is attacked.
Kim’s message also comes amid reports that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to visit North Korea to further strengthen ties, highlighting a growing bloc of countries aligned against Western influence.
