Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has expressed gratitude to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the liberation of the Kursk region, attributing the success to North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces. The statement was reported by Russian news agency TASS on Sunday.
North Korean Military Support to Russia
Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops, along with missiles and munitions, to support Russia's war in Ukraine. These forces were specifically sent to Russia's western Kursk region to counter a prolonged counter-offensive by Ukrainian troops. According to estimates from Seoul, approximately 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the conflict.
Strategic Benefits for North Korea
In exchange for its military assistance, North Korea is reportedly receiving financial aid, military technology, food, and energy from Russia. This support helps Pyongyang circumvent heavy international sanctions imposed due to its banned nuclear programs, analysts say.
Russian Delegation Visit to Pyongyang
A Russian delegation, including Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's Duma (lower house of parliament), arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday. The visit was to attend the opening ceremony of a memorial complex honoring those who died supporting Moscow's war effort against Ukraine.
Volodin was quoted by TASS as saying: "Let me express these words of gratitude to you, esteemed Comrade Kim Jong Un, and to the Korean people for their fraternal support in the liberation of Kursk." He added, "Korean soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers and officers, liberating Russian soil from the Ukrainian Nazis."
A short video posted on TASS's Telegram account shows Volodin and Kim embracing, with Volodin delivering his opening remarks during a meeting. North Korea has not yet commented on the meeting.
Russia's Defense Minister Also in Pyongyang
Russia's Defense Minister Andrey Belousov arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday for talks with the country's top leadership and armed forces command, according to TASS.
Military Treaty and Captured Soldiers
In 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a military treaty requiring both states to provide military assistance without delay if either is attacked. North Korean soldiers are reportedly instructed to kill themselves rather than be captured. Only two North Korean troops have been captured alive and are currently in Ukrainian custody. Both soldiers have expressed a desire to go to South Korea.
