North Korea’s Kim praised ‘comrade’ Putin in New Year greetings. news

The North Korean leader expressed hope that Moscow would ‘defeat neo-Nazism and achieve a major victory’ in Ukraine.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has paid tribute to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a New Year’s message, praising the deep ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, state media reported.

In a letter to mark the New Year, Kim extended best wishes to his “dearest friend and comrade” Putin, the Russian people and Russian military personnel, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday.

Kim wished Putin more success in his responsible and weighty state leadership activities and the prosperity, well-being and happiness of the Russian people, KCNA said.

KCNA said Kim expressed his desire to “design and pursue new projects” involving Pyongyang and Moscow after his “meaningful visit” in 2024, and expected Russia to “defeat neo-Nazism” in Ukraine. And will achieve a big victory”.

Putin has claimed, without evidence, that his 2022 invasion of Ukraine was necessary to protect Russian speakers from a “neo-Nazi dictatorship”.

Relations between North Korea and Russia have improved significantly since the beginning of the war.

In June, Kim and Putin signed a mutual defense agreement during the Russian leader’s first visit to North Korea in nearly a quarter century.

Pyongyang has since sent more than 10,000 troops to assist Russian forces in Ukraine, according to South Korean and Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month that his forces had killed or wounded more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimated North Korean casualties at approximately 100 killed and 1,000 wounded.