North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised his troops fighting in Russia as forging an “invincible alliance” with Moscow, state media reported on Thursday. In a New Year’s message, Kim commended the soldiers for their “heroic” defence of the nation’s honour and urged them to “be brave” on the battlefields of an “alien land”.
Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. At least 600 have been killed and thousands more wounded, South Korean estimates suggest. In return, analysts say Russia provides North Korea with financial aid, military technology, and supplies of food and energy.
“As the whole country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere of greeting the new year, I all the more miss you, who are fighting bravely on the battlefields in the alien land even at this moment,” Kim said in a message carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He called on the troops to fight “for the fraternal Russian people” and hinted at further overseas deployments, highlighting “remarkable feats you will perform on the overseas battlefields”.
Kim marked the new year with a lavish celebration and speech at Pyongyang’s May Day stadium, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju and his daughter Ju Ae, believed to be his likely successor. Analysts note that the deepening alliance with Russia has provided an economic lifeline for Kim’s regime, allowing it to rebuff US and South Korean overtures for dialogue.
On-the-ground accounts, however, paint a grim picture for North Korean troops involved in Europe’s bloodiest conflict since the Second World War. Soldiers have been ordered to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner, according to South Korean intelligence and accounts from two North Koreans captured by Ukraine. The two men, captured in January 2025 after sustaining injuries, have expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.
