North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised his troops who are fighting in support of Russia in the war against Ukraine. State media reported on Thursday that Kim met with military commanders in Pyongyang and sent words of encouragement to soldiers deployed in Russia’s Kursk region.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim told the troops, “Ours is a heroic army.” He added, “Our army is now doing what it ought to do and what needs to be done. It will do so in the future, too.”

Large Deployment Confirmed

Intelligence agencies say Pyongyang has deployed more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region. North Korea had confirmed in April that its forces were stationed at the front lines alongside Russian troops. Reports also suggest that Pyongyang supplied artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rockets.

South Korea estimates that around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more injured in the conflict.

Global Reactions and Diplomatic Context

Kim’s praise for his soldiers comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is making new attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He has met both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the talks have produced no breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Putin has called the North Korean soldiers “heroic” but has not agreed to meet Zelensky for direct peace talks.

Growing Moscow-Pyongyang Alliance

Russia and North Korea have grown closer over the past year. Both countries signed a mutual defense pact during Putin’s visit to North Korea in 2024. Analysts see this as a major shift in the region’s balance of power, as the two isolated states strengthen military cooperation against Western pressure.