Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly thanked North Korean troops for their “heroism” and “dedication” in battling Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, marking a bold acknowledgment of Pyongyang’s role in the ongoing conflict

. In a Kremlin statement on Monday, Putin praised the North Korean soldiers for fighting “shoulder to shoulder” with Russian troops to defend “our Motherland,” highlighting their “high level of special training.” This follows Russia’s first official confirmation on Saturday of North Korean involvement in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces seized significant territory in a surprise August 2024 offensive.

North Korea’s deployment of an estimated 11,000 troops, starting in late 2024, underscores a deepening military pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, solidified by a June 2024 mutual defense agreement.

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Ukrainian and Western officials report that North Korean soldiers, often integrated into Russian units, have faced heavy casualties, with up to 4,000 killed or wounded by early 2025 due to inexperience against Ukrainian drones and artillery. Despite these losses, Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov credited North Korean “significant assistance” in reclaiming most of Kursk, a region Kyiv hoped to use as leverage in peace talks.

The involvement of North Korean troops has alarmed Western allies, with NATO labeling it a “significant escalation.” As Russia pushes to eject Ukrainian forces from Kursk, Putin’s gratitude signals a strategic reliance on North Korea, raising concerns about broader geopolitical implications for the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.

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