Russia and North Korea Strengthen Strategic Alliance Amid Ukraine Conflict
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has recently reaffirmed that Russia’s relations with North Korea are progressing according to planned strategic objectives.
During his visit to the Kremlin, he personally requested North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui to convey to leader Kim Jong Un that their bilateral relations are advancing as intended.
This includes the strategic partnership agreement signed last year, which commits both nations to mutual defense in the event of external threats.
Intelligence sources reveal that North Korea has been actively supporting Russia in the ongoing war against Ukraine by supplying military personnel, artillery shells, and missiles to bolster Russian combat efforts.
Estimates from South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence indicate that approximately 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Ukraine’s battlefield, with Pyongyang receiving military and technological aid from Russia in return.
Reports also suggest that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in action, according to September assessments.
In Moscow, Choe Son Hui also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, focusing on bilateral ties and regional dynamics in Asia.
Historically, both North Korea and Russia confirmed their military involvement in Ukraine as early as April.
Notably, North Korean troops have been utilized in the Kursk region, where intense fighting took place.
The two countries signed a treaty in June of the previous year, emphasizing mutual defense commitments initiated by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.
In July, during his visit to Pyongyang, Lavrov received assurances from Kim that North Korea would unconditionally support all Kremlin initiatives, including the Ukraine war.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea supplies up to 40% of the munitions used by Russia in Ukraine, illustrating the depth of their strategic partnership.
Just before pivotal diplomatic discussions with US President Donald Trump in Alaska, Putin conducted a phone call with Kim Jong Un in August to update him on the Ukraine situation and to thank him for support.