North Korean leader Kim Jong-un confirmed Pyongyang’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, vowing to help Moscow achieve victory in its “holy” war, state media reported Monday.
Pyongyang has sent missiles, ammunition and thousands of troops to Russia to help in the war against Ukraine. Analysts say Moscow in return sends financial aid, military technology, food and energy to the diplomatically isolated country.
A number of senior Russian officials have visited North Korea in recent days, with Defense Minister Andrey Belousov meeting with Kim on Sunday, according to official statements.
– North Korea “as always will fully support the policy of the Russian Federation in defense of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and security interests – Kim Belousov said, reports the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim expressed his “belief that the Russian army and people will surely win victory in the righteous holy war,” according to KCNA.
Both sides said that their delegations discussed deeper military ties, and Belousov said that Moscow is ready to sign a cooperation plan covering the period from 2027 to 2031.
Kim, Belousov and Russian Parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also attended the opening ceremony of a memorial complex honoring North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine.
North Korea and Russia signed a military agreement in 2024, committing both countries to provide military assistance to each other “without delay” in the event of an attack on the other.
The memorial’s unveiling coincides with what Moscow describes as the first anniversary of the return of parts of Kursk, a region in Russia where Ukraine launched a major counter-offensive in mid-2024.
North Korean soldiers have been deployed in the area to help repel the Ukrainian advance.
At the meeting with Belousov, Kim hailed the “brilliant war results in liberating Kursk,” according to KCNA.
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the “extraordinary courage and true dedication” of North Korean soldiers in a letter to Kim published by KCNA.
Seoul estimates that around 2,000 North Koreans were killed in the war in Ukraine.
North Korean soldiers were reportedly ordered to kill themselves rather than be captured in battle.
Only two North Korean soldiers were captured alive and are currently in the custody of the Ukrainian authorities, reports AFP.
(Vijesti.ba/Fena)
