CaliToday (21/8/2025): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has issued a powerful statement lauding the performance of North Korean soldiers actively engaged in combat in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a move that confirms the deepest level of military cooperation between the two allied nations to date, Kim Jong-un asserted that his troops have demonstrated exceptional military prowess, specifically highlighting their role in a recent campaign in Russia's Kursk region.
The commendation, reportedly delivered during a high-level meeting with military officials, marks the first official acknowledgment from Pyongyang of its soldiers' direct participation in the conflict. While North Korea has been a vocal political supporter of Moscow and is widely understood to be a major supplier of artillery shells and ballistic missiles to the Russian military, the deployment of combat personnel represents a significant escalation of its involvement.
"Our valiant soldiers, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with their Russian comrades, have shown the world the unyielding spirit and martial strength of the Korean People's Army," Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying. He specifically pointed to their operational success in Kursk, a Russian province bordering northeastern Ukraine that has recently become a theater for cross-border incursions and intense fighting.
Kim's statement suggests that North Korean troops are not only involved in offensive operations within Ukrainian territory but are also being utilized to defend Russian sovereign soil, a critical role given the recent pressures on Russian forces in the border regions. This deployment provides North Korean soldiers with invaluable modern combat experience, a point of major concern for South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The development cements the burgeoning military alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow, which was formalized with a mutual defense pact signed during a recent summit. For Russia, the infusion of disciplined and motivated North Korean manpower provides a much-needed boost to its forces. For North Korea, it is an opportunity to support a key ally, gain battlefield experience, and project its military influence beyond the Korean Peninsula.
International reaction to the confirmation is expected to be swift and severe. Western nations have previously warned that the deployment of North Korean troops would be a grave development, likely triggering a new and more punishing wave of international sanctions against Pyongyang.
Ukrainian officials have yet to formally comment on the North Korean leader's statement but have previously stated they would consider any foreign troops fighting alongside Russia as legitimate military targets. The presence of North Korean soldiers on the battlefield further complicates an already brutal and complex war, adding a new and unpredictable dimension to the conflict.
