Putin Praises North Korea's 'Heroic' Role in 2025 Kursk Liberation, Bolstering Alliance

Russian President Vladimir Putin has again expressed deep gratitude to North Korea for its military assistance in the 2025 'liberation' of Russia's Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces, a move that publicly highlights Pyongyang direct role in the conflict. This latest thanks came during a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui on Sunday, cementing a critical and increasingly visible military alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang. This public acknowledgment reaffirms reports that North Korean troops, estimated at over 10,000 personnel, were deployed to Russia in late 2024 under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty to help repel a significant Ukrainian incursion into the border region. Russian officials declared the Kursk Region fully 'liberated' in April 2025 after months of fighting where North Korean soldiers reportedly fought 'shoulder to shoulder' with Russian forces. The partnership signals a strong alignment against Western powers, with North Korea also supplying Russia with billions of dollars worth of artillery and missiles. The deepening military ties, openly lauded by both sides, are expected to draw further condemnation from the international community and may lead to intensified sanctions against both nations. With continued Ukrainian drone attacks reported in Kursk as recently as this month, the ongoing operational presence and future collaboration between Russian and Korean People's Army forces will be closely watched as the dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine war continue to evolve. This alliance could set a new precedent for proxy conflicts and military assistance in future global flashpoints.