Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, has praised his troops fighting in Russia as forging an 'invincible alliance' with Moscow, according to state media. In a New Year's message released on Thursday, Kim congratulated his soldiers for their 'heroic' defence of the nation's honour and instructed them to 'be brave'.
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 North Korean soldiers have died and thousands more have been injured, South Korean estimates suggest.
'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, according to 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'.
Analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, and food and energy supplies from Russia in exchange for its military support. The deepening alliance has provided an economic lifeline for Kim's regime and allowed him to rebuff US and South Korean overtures for dialogue.
However, accounts from the battlefield paint a grim picture. North Korean soldiers have been ordered to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner, according to South Korea's intelligence service. Two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine in January 2025, after sustaining injuries, have expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.
