North Korea leader Kim praises 'heroic' troops in Russia

21/8/2025 7:21

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised "heroic" North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a meeting with officers of the

army's overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Thursday.



Kim "highly appreciated their feats of leading the combat units of our armed forces, which participated in the operations to liberate the Kursk Region of the Russian Federation, to victory," KCNA reported.



North Korea has dispatched more than 10,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine and is believed to be planning another deployment, according to a South Korean intelligence assessment.



Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the strategic partnership treaty in June last year, which includes a mutual defence pact.