Vladimir Putin thanks Kim Jong one for the North Koreans who fight in Ukraine

The Vladimir Putin Russian thanked the North Korean leader Kim Jong one for the courage of his soldiers who fight in Ukraine on the Russian side.

Kim, in response, said he was ready to do “everything I can to help” Russia.

The two leaders met in Beijing on Wednesday while China organized one of its greatest military parades, which marked 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Asia.

Putin, who launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, said that bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea were friendly and that the army of Pyongyang helped to release the Kursk region.

“Your soldiers fought courageously and heroically,” Putin told Kim during Wednesday talks.

“I would like to note that we will never forget the sacrifices that your armed forces and the families of your soldiers have suffered.”

Kim expressed his gratitude for the recognition of the Russian chief of troops in North Korea and said that bilateral relations between the two countries had “advanced in all regions” – referring to the involvement of Pyongyang in the “joint struggle” with Russia in Ukraine.

“If there is a way to help Russia, we will certainly do it as a fraternal duty.”

According to South Korea, the North sent some 15,000 soldiers to help Russia in its invasion, as well as long -range missiles and weapons. In return, we think that North Korea has received food, money and technical aid.

These soldiers were involved in Moscow’s efforts to take up certain parts of western Kursk – where the Ukrainians defend a small territory of territory captured during a surprise foray in August – and would have undergone heavy losses.

Western officials said in January that at least 1,000 people died in just three months. Two months later, Seoul legislators said they thought there were about 4,700 North Korean victims, including 600 deaths, over a total deployment of 15,000.

The North Korean troops, which no previous combat experience will have spent their first weeks in Russia in training, then to support roles.

It is the third meeting in two years and at a time when Moscow and Pyongyang deepen their cooperation.

Last June, Putin and Kim signed an agreement promising that Russia and North Korea will help each other in the event of “assault” against one or the other country.

At the time, Kim praised the treaty as the “strongest of all time”. He reaffirmed this support a few weeks ago when he offered Moscow his “unconditional support” on the war in Ukraine.

Pyongyang publicly recognized the sending of troops to Russia in April, months after Ukraine and the West revealed the North Korean troop movement to the Russian-Ukrainian first line.

In addition to the soldiers, North Korea has also promised to send thousands of workers to help rebuild the Kursk region torn apart by the Russian War, said the Moscow security chief in June.

Last week, during a special ceremony, the North Korean leader met families of soldiers killed to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

During the event, Kim said he was filled with “sorrow” not to bring the living soldiers back, committing to building a monument in their honor and taking care of their children.

“I thought a lot about the other families of the martyrs who were not present (during the previous ceremony) … So, I arranged this meeting because I wanted to meet and console the bereaved families of all the heroes and relieve them of their sorrow and even their anxiety a little,” said KCNA, the press agency, Kcna said that Kim.