Reports indicate north Korea has significantly increased its military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, dispatching thousands of troops to bolster Moscow’s forces.Confirmed by South Korean and Western intelligence, this deployment represents a notable escalation in Pyongyang’s involvement in the nearly four-year-long conflict. The move underscores a deepening alliance between the two nations, marked by a reported exchange of military assistance and resources.
North Korea has reportedly dispatched thousands of troops to support Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, a move that underscores the deepening military cooperation between the two nations. The involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict, which began nearly four years ago, has been confirmed by South Korean and Western intelligence agencies.
According to estimates from South Korean officials, at least 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more injured in the fighting. The deployment marks a significant escalation of Pyongyang’s support for Moscow.
Analysts suggest that North Korea is receiving financial assistance, military technologies, food supplies, and energy resources from Russia in exchange for its manpower. This exchange highlights the strategic benefits both countries derive from their growing alliance.
Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, recently praised his troops fighting “in a foreign land,” commending their “heroic” defense of the nation’s honor and urging them to “be brave,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday.
“As the whole country is permeated with the festive mood of welcoming the New Year, I long for you all the more who are bravely fighting in the battlefields of a foreign land even at this moment,” Kim Jong Un stated, as quoted by KCNA.
“Pyongyang and Moscow stand behind you,” he added.
Kim Jong Un also lauded the soldiers for strengthening the “invincible alliance” with Russia and encouraged them to fight “for the brotherly Russian people.”
Looking ahead, Kim Jong Un indicated that more overseas operations are planned for this year, emphasizing the “wonderful feats” his troops will accomplish “on foreign battlefields.”
State media reported that the North Korean leader marked the New Year with a speech at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, where he also oversaw a grand festive performance.
Photos released by KCNA show Kim Jong Un accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, who is widely believed to be his likely successor.
