Kim Jong Un hails Putin as a 'comrade' in New Year's greeting message

Photo: AFP 

According to North Korea's state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown strong support for Russian President Vladimir Putin in a New Year’s message. The message highlights the growing relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow.

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In his letter, Kim referred to Putin as his “dearest friend and comrade” and sent his best wishes to the Russian leader, the Russian people, and the country’s military. This was reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday. Kim expressed his hopes for Putin’s success in leading Russia and wished the Russian people prosperity, happiness, and well-being.

Kim also shared his eagerness to work on new projects with Russia in the coming year. Referring to 2024 as a "meaningful journey," he emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the two nations. He expressed hope that Russia would overcome “neo-Nazism” and achieve a significant victory in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Putin has previously claimed, without evidence, that the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was necessary to protect Russian-speaking people from a so-called "neo-Nazi dictatorship."

Over the past year, North Korea and Russia have built stronger ties, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine. In June, Kim and Putin signed a mutual defence agreement during Putin’s visit to North Korea. This marked the first time a Russian leader had visited North Korea in nearly 25 years.

Following this agreement, Pyongyang reportedly sent more than 10,000 troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine. Officials from South Korea and Ukraine provided this information. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that Ukrainian forces had killed or wounded more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimated the casualties to include around 100 North Korean soldiers killed and about 1,000 injured.
The deepening ties between North Korea and Russia mark a significant shift in the global political landscape, especially amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.