Kim Jong Un proud of strong Russia ties, tells Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told Russian President Vladimir Putin he is "proud" of their countries' strong ties, state media reported on Sunday. In a letter released by the Korean Central News Agency, Kim said he expects a "more excellent future" for bilateral relations by leading the DPRK-Russia bonds together with Putin. The letter follows a message from Putin marking Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, in which he said relations had reached an "unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership."

Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, North Korea has become a key Kremlin ally, providing military support in return for economic benefits and military technology, analysts say. Ukraine has accused Moscow of using North Korean ballistic missiles in a recent strike that killed at least nine people. Kyiv also claims up to 50,000 North Korean troops are due to deploy to Russia, though it has offered no evidence or timeframe. President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Seoul for air defence systems to counter Russian missiles, a request that has not been answered by South Korea.