Kim Jong Un Praises Russia Alliance in Message to Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent New Year's greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, praising the deepening alliance between their countries as one forged through shared military efforts in Russia's war against Ukraine. In the message, published by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim described 2025 as a pivotal year that solidified ties through "sharing blood, life and death in the same trench," emphasizing the unbreakable bond between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The exchange of messages highlights the growing military cooperation between the two nations, which intensified after Russia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with North Korea in June 2024. North Korea confirmed in April that it had deployed troops to support Russia's campaign in Ukraine, marking the first time Pyongyang publicly acknowledged sending soldiers abroad for combat. The troops played a key role in operations to repel a Ukrainian incursion in Russia's western Kursk region, where North Korean units, including combat engineers, helped clear landmines and secure territory.

State media reports detailed the contributions of these forces, with Kim noting in a...