Pyongyang [North Korea], December 31 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un extended New Year greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing hopes for strengthened ties between Pyongyang and Moscow and wishing Russia success in its conflict with Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported, citing state news agency KCNA.
Kim also praised their cooperation in 2024 and expressed a desire to "design and push ahead with new projects."
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that in a letter to mark the New Year, Kim extended his greetings to his "dearest friend and comrade" Putin, the Russian people and Russian military personnel. Kim wished Putin "greater success in his responsible and heavy state leadership activities and the Russian people prosperity, wellbeing and happiness."
Kim in his new year greetings expressed willingness to "design and push ahead with new projects" involving Pyongyang and Moscow after their "meaningful journey" in 2024, and hoped that Russia would secure a win against "neo-Nazism and achieve a great victory" in Ukraine.
Russia and North Korea have strengthened their ties following Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. The United States on November 4 confirmed the presence of 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, with the Pentagon press secretary saying if they enter combat, they are "legitimate targets" for Ukrainian soldiers. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder also said officials estimate the presence of 11,000 to 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia.
Reports showed North Korean troops entering Russia in October and getting trained by the Russian troops in infantry tactics, operating with unmanned aerial vehicles, artillery tactics, trench-clearing and the like. The country also provided the North Korean troops with Russian uniforms and equipment.
On December 17, Ukraine's special forces said that 50 North Korean soldiers were killed and 47 others were injured in three days while fighting alongside Russian soldiers in Kursk.
Earlier in a statement shared on December 17 on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote, "Russians are trying... to literally burn the faces of North Korean soldiers killed in battle." Alongside the statement, he shared a video purportedly showing Russian soldiers setting fire to the bodies of North Korean soldiers.
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