Lavrov Hails North Korean Troops in Ukraine War

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised North Korea’s military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and pledged to further strengthen bilateral ties.

According to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, Lavrov made the remarks in a letter to North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui marking the 81st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

Lavrov recalled that Russia and North Korea had fought together against “Japanese militarism in 1945”. He also praised Pyongyang’s deployment of troops to Russia’s Kursk region, describing it as proof of the “militant friendship forged by the heroic preceding generations”.

Reuters separately reported that Lavrov said North Korean troops were fighting to drive the “Ukrainian Nazi clique” out of the Kursk region. KCNA quoted him as describing Moscow and Pyongyang as “now fighting on the same front” to establish a new world order based on multipolarity and national sovereignty.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also exchanged messages for the anniversary. Putin said bilateral relations had reached an unprecedented level as a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, while Kim pledged to carry “forward the history of common struggle for justice and precious traditions of friendship”.

Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened significantly since June 2024, when the two countries signed a mutual defense pact that laid the groundwork for North Korean military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

(max)