Kim tells Putin he is proud of strong North Korea-Russia ties

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, Kim said he expected a "more excellent future" for bilateral relations and expressed firm belief that Russia would thrive and defend its territorial integrity under Putin's "wise leadership," the Korean Central News Agency said.

Putin, in a letter delivered on Friday to mark Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, said relations had reached an "unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership." The exchange follows Ukraine's accusation this month that Moscow used North Korean ballistic missiles in a strike that killed at least nine people. Kyiv has also claimed up to 50,000 North Korean troops are to deploy to Russia, though it has provided no evidence or timeframe.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked South Korea to supply air defence systems against Russian missiles, a request that has gone unanswered. Analysts, cited by the Economic Times and Hindustan Times, say Pyongyang has sent troops to support Moscow's war effort in return for economic benefits and military technology.