Putin lauds North Korean troops as heroic in letter to Kim
Russian Duma Chairman Arrives in Pyongyang
Vyacheslav Volodin, the head of Russia’s lower parliament, landed in North Korea on Thursday, state media reported. The visit coincided with a heartfelt letter from President Vladimir Putin to Kim Jong‑Un.
Putin Commends North Korean Troops in Ukraine
In the letter, dated to the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, Putin recalled how Soviet and North Korean forces worked together to end Japan’s colonial occupation. He wrote that the “bonds of militant friendship, goodwill and mutual aid” forged during the war remain “solid and reliable” today.
According to North Korean state media, Putin lauded the DPRK soldiers for “heroic participation in liberating the Kursk region from Ukrainian occupationists.” He added that Russia would forever remember their bravery and self‑sacrifice.
Putin also noted 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‑polarised world order.”
Growing Russo‑North Korean Alliance
- Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defence pact last year, during a Russian visit to the isolated state.
- In April, North Korea confirmed it had deployed soldiers to the front lines in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.
- South Korean and Western intelligence agencies say Pyongyang sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region in 2024, along with artillery shells, missiles and long‑range rocket systems.
- Seoul reports that around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia.
Praise for “Excellent Soldiers”
With Volodin’s delegation in Pyongyang, the speaker of the Duma thanked Kim for sending “excellent soldiers” to Ukraine, KCNA reported. The visit marked the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.
Volodin thanked Kim for “dispatching excellent soldiers to the Kursk liberation operations for driving out the Ukrainian aggressors” and added that Russia would never forget the North Korean troops “who fought at the cost of their lives in Russia.”
Kim said the delegation’s visit would promote the “development of DPRK‑Russia relations already on a new level.” He also mentioned a phone call with Putin two days ago, agreeing to expanded bilateral cooperation and “closer contact and communication between the state leaderships.”
Pre‑Summit Talks Ahead of Putin‑Trump Meeting
The phone call came three days before Friday’s summit between Putin and Donald Trump, the first meeting between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since 2021. Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia’s more than three‑year war in Ukraine.
