North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had sent troops to Russia, the KCNA news agency reported today, saying its soldiers had helped Moscow regain areas of Russia's Kursk region that had been under Ukrainian control for months.
KCNA stated that "subunits of the North Korean armed forces participated in operations to liberate the occupied areas of Kursk" and added that the war effort of those soldiers "has been victoriously completed."
"Those who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland," said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
He added that a monument will soon be erected in Pyongyang to commemorate the "feats of battle."
Ukraine, South Korea and Western countries have been condemning the participation of several thousand North Korean soldiers in the fighting for several months, while Moscow and Pyongyang have always refused to acknowledge it.
Russia and North Korea signed a joint strategic partnership agreement in June 2024 that provides for “mutual” military assistance in the event of an attack on either country.
This first North Korean confirmation of the deployment of forces in Russia comes after Moscow announced on Saturday that it had fully regained control of its border region of Kursk, and Kiev called the information "false and propaganda."
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