Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to North Korean soldiers fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine as "heroes" in a letter sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This was reported by the DPRK state news agency.
Putin sent the letter on the occasion of the day marking Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. In it, Putin recalled how the Soviet army and North Koreans fought together against Japan in history and emphasized that "today's cooperation is also based on these bonds of friendship."
According to Putin, DPRK soldiers actively participated in the 2024 operation to liberate the Kursk region of Russia from "Ukrainian invaders." Russia has stated that over 10,000 North Korean military personnel were sent to the Ukrainian front, with hundreds of casualties among them.
The letter was personally delivered to Kim Jong Un by Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. According to Volodin, Russia will never forget the Korean soldiers who sacrificed their lives for its homeland.
