Russia and North Korea have been forging more and more nearer ties, together with signing a mutual defence pact final 12 months when Russian President Putin visited the reclusive state. File | Photo Credit: AP
In a letter marking the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, Mr. Putin recalled how Soviet Red Army models and North Korean forces fought collectively to finish Japan’s colonial occupation.
“The bonds of militant friendship, goodwill and mutual help which have been consolidated within the days of the struggle way back stay stable and dependable even at this time,” Mr. Putin mentioned in a letter revealed by North Korean state media.
“This was totally proved by the heroic participation of the DPRK troopers in liberating the territory of Kursk Region from the Ukrainian occupationists,” he mentioned, in accordance with the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
“The Russian individuals will hold ceaselessly the reminiscences of their bravery and self-sacrifice,” he mentioned.
Mr. Putin added that the 2 international locations would proceed to “act collectively and successfully (to) defend their sovereignty and make a big contribution to establishing a simply and multi-polarised world order”.
KCNA later printed Mr. Kim’s reply to Mr. Putin through which the North Korean chief praised the 2 international locations’ relationship as “the stablest comradeship and a complete strategic companionship”.
Russia and North Korea have been forging more and more nearer ties, together with signing a mutual defence pact final 12 months when Mr. Putin visited the reclusive state.
In April, North Korea confirmed for the primary time that it had deployed a contingent of its troopers to the entrance line in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.
South Korean and Western intelligence companies have mentioned Pyongyang despatched greater than 10,000 troopers to Russia’s Kursk area in 2024, together with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket techniques.
Around 600 North Korean troopers have been killed and hundreds extra wounded preventing for Russia, Seoul has mentioned.
‘Excellent troopers’
The letter from Mr. Putin got here alongside a go to by a Russian delegation to Pyongyang, the place the speaker of the Duma thanked Kim for sending “glorious troopers” to Ukraine, KCNA mentioned.
Vyacheslav Volodin’s delegation arrived on Thursday (August 14, 2025) and was obtained by a navy honour guard for a go to marking “the eightieth anniversary of Korea’s liberation”.
Also learn: North Korean chief Kim reaffirms help for Russia in Ukraine battle, KCNA says
Mr. Volodin thanked Mr. Kim for “dispatching glorious troopers to the Kursk liberation operations for driving out the Ukrainian aggressors”, in accordance with KCNA.
He added that Russia would always remember the North Korean troops “who fought at the price of their lives in Russia”.
Mr. Kim mentioned the delegation’s go to would promote the “growth of the DPRK-Russia relations”.
He additionally mentioned he had a cellphone name with Mr. Putin two days in the past, agreeing to expanded bilateral cooperation and “nearer contact and communication between the state leaderships”.
The name got here three days forward of Friday’s (August 15, 2025) summit between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump, the primary between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since 2021, as Mr. Trump seeks to dealer an finish to Russia’s greater than three-year struggle in Ukraine.
Published – August 15, 2025 11:30 pm IST
