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Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised what he described as an “invincible friendship” between Moscow and Pyongyang in a New Year message sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency.
In the letter, which was delivered to Pyongyang last week, Putin highlighted the role played by North Korean troops in supporting Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, saying their involvement had demonstrated a deep “militant fraternity” between the two countries.
Western and South Korean intelligence agencies estimate that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia in 2024, most of them stationed in the Kursk region. Pyongyang is also believed to have supplied Moscow with artillery ammunition, missiles and long-range rocket systems.
Putin reportedly singled out the participation of North Korean forces in battles in the Kursk region, praising what he called their “heroic” contribution to pushing back occupying forces. He also referenced the work of North Korean engineers operating on Russian territory, saying their actions clearly illustrated the strength and resilience of bilateral ties.
The Russian leader added that a “historic treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership”, signed during his visit to Pyongyang in June last year, had been fully implemented through joint efforts. That agreement includes a mutual defence clause committing both sides to provide immediate military assistance if either is subjected to armed aggression.
According to Putin, the deepening partnership between Russia and North Korea would help advance what he described as a fairer, multipolar world order.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has estimated that roughly 2,000 North Korean soldiers sent to assist Russia have been killed during the conflict. Pyongyang formally acknowledged for the first time in April that it had deployed troops to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, also confirming that some had died in combat.
Since then, Kim Jong Un has been shown meeting the families of fallen soldiers, offering condolences for their suffering. State media has aired emotional footage of Kim embracing returning troops, underscoring the regime’s effort to portray the deployment as a patriotic sacrifice.
Following last year’s military agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, South Korea — then led by the conservative administration of Yoon Suk Yeol — indicated it might reconsider its long-standing policy against supplying weapons to Ukraine. However, no such move has so far been carried out.
