Latest News: Putin Special thanks Kim for North Koreans fighting in Ukraine

Putin expressed his gratitude to Kim Jong Un for the bravery of the soldiers who, on the Russian side, are fighting in Ukraine.

Putin and Kim had an audience on Wednesday in Beijing in the context of a large-scale military parade organized by China for the 80th anniversary of the victory over the Second World War in Asia.

This is the first time that the North Korean leader is attending an international gathering of world leaders, the first in his life, and is an uncommon occurrence for someone who stays predominantly in North Korea and gets to meet only on a bilateral basis.

Putin, who initiated the Ukraine war in February 2022, stated that the relations between Russia and North Korea are friendly, and with the assistance of the North Korean army, the Kursk region was liberated.

“Your soldiers fought with great and magnificent bravery,” Putin said to Kim in the course of Wednesday’s discussions.

“I want to point out that the memories of the sacrifices that your armed forces and the families of your soldiers had to pay will always be with us,” said Kim.

“Bilateral relations of the two countries are advancing in ‘all domains,’ as the Russian leader pointed out, citing North Korea’s participation in the ‘joint struggle’ with Russia in Ukraine.’”

”’We will always fulfill our fraternal duty if there is any possible way we could help Russia,”

South Korea has reported that the North has sent around 15,000 troops, along with missiles and long-range weaponry, to support Russia in its aggression. In exchange, North Korea is believed to have received food, money and technical support.

These troops are alleged to have received heavy casualties while engaging in Moscow’s attempts to retake parts of western Kursk, where the Ukrainians have managed to hold onto a sliver of territory gained during the surprise incursion in August.

Western officials reported in January that at least 1,000 had died in the span of three months. In April, lawmakers in Seoul suggested that the total number of North Korean casualties, including 600 deaths, stood at 4,700 out of a deployment of 15,000.

These North Korean troops are believed to have been primarily engaged in support roles and were likely given a few weeks to train during their initial deployment to Russia.

The North Korean leader could be seen entering Tiananmen Square alongside Xi and Putin, with whom he later shared a seat. All three were captured on camera engaging in lively conversation and clearly enjoying each other’s company.”’

Kim has been ostracized, treated like an outcast, and ridiculed, but today, he has been almost elevated to the same status as Xi and Putin, alongside whom he has been photographed.

Kim must have tempered his desire to avoid the parade to take the honor of being in the same photograph with Xi and Putin, not so much as their subordinate, but as their equal.

They have been very clear in their communications to the West, particularly to the United States, that the three of them have developed a strong level of cooperation.

Putin and Kim have met three times in the last two years, a period during which Moscow and Pyongyang have enhanced their collaboration.

In June of last year, Kim and Putin signed an agreement stating that in the case of ‘aggression’ being committed against either of the two countries, mutual assistance will be provided.

Kim said that it was the ‘strongest ever’ and recently reiterated this after stating that he will give Moscow his ‘unconditional support’ in the war against Ukraine.

North Korea openly admitted to sending troops to Russia in the month of April, after Ukraine and the West exposed a large movement of troops from North Korea to the Russian front against Ukraine.