Kim Jong Un hails North Korean troops fighting for Russia in Ukraine war

Pyongyang [North Korea], August 21 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised his country's troops deployed in Russia's war against Ukraine, during a meeting with officers of the army's overseas operation, state media reported, according to Al Jazeera.

Kim "conveyed warm encouragement" to the officers and soldiers serving in Russia's Kursk region, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday, citing an area where Western intelligence agencies believe Pyongyang has sent more than 10,000 fighters, Al Jazeera reported.

"Ours is a heroic army," Kim was quoted as saying in a speech to members of the military in the capital. "Our army is now doing what it ought to do and what needs to be done. It will do so in the future, too," he added.

North Korea in April confirmed for the first time that it had deployed a contingent of its soldiers to the front line to fight alongside Russian troops, Al Jazeera noted.

This followed the strategic partnership treaty signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June last year, which also includes a mutual defence pact.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have said that Pyongyang sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region in 2024, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems. About 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded while fighting for Russia, Seoul has claimed, according to Al Jazeera.

Kim's remarks come at a time when United States President Donald Trump has been pushing for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, holding high-profile talks with the leaders of both countries.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who last week hailed the North Korean soldiers as "heroic", has so far avoided meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for direct talks, Al Jazeera added.

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