Putin honours North Korean troops for support in Kursk's liberation

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed gratitude to North Korea, its leader Kim Jong Un, and the units of the Korean People's Army for their assistance in liberating the Kursk region from Ukrainian formations.

"The Korean friends acted out of a sense of solidarity, justice, and true comradeship. We highly appreciate this and are sincerely grateful to the Chairman of State Affairs, Comrade Kim Jong Un, the entire leadership, and the people of North Korea," Putin said in a statement published by the Kremlin press service, per Caliber.Az.

"We pay tribute to the heroism, high level of special training, and selflessness of the Korean warriors who, shoulder to shoulder with Russian fighters, defended our homeland as their own," emphasised the Russian president. "They performed their duty with honour and courage, earning eternal glory."

Putin noted that Russia will forever honour the heroes from North Korea who helped in the liberation of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On April 26, 2025, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the complete liberation of the Kursk region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). According to him, North Korean soldiers provided significant assistance in defeating the Ukrainian forces that had penetrated the area.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in turn, stated that the North Korean servicemen participated in the operation to liberate the Kursk border area in accordance with Article 4 of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, signed in June 2024. 

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and the North Korea entered into force on December 4, 2024. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the document contributes to the construction of a just multipolar world.

According to the text of the document, the treaty is indefinite and provides for mutual military assistance in the event of an attack on either party.