Kim Jong Un says he will continue to back Putin’s ‘sacred war’ on Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to “expand and deepen” his cooperation with Russia and support for what he called Vladimir Putin’s “sacred war”, presumed to be a reference to the invasion of Ukraine.

The North Korean leader was replying to a congratulatory message sent by the Russian president on the hermit kingdom’s 78th founding anniversary.

North Korea remains the only third party to involve its ground troops directly in the Russia-Ukraine war, sending thousands of soldiers who were largely deployed to help Putin push back a Ukrainian counter-offensive in Russia’s Kursk region.

Largely isolated on the world stage, with even traditional close partners like India urging Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine “for the sake of humanity”, Russia has instead forged an ever-closer relationship with Kim’s regime.

Russia signed a mutual defence treaty with North Korea in June 2024, committing each to come to the other's aid if attacked.

Kim said Pyongyang’s government had a firm will to broaden its “comprehensive” cooperation with Russia based on their bilateral friendship, mutual assistance, and what he called the two countries’ alliance relations.

Without directly referring to the war in Ukraine, Kim said he was convinced of Russia’s victory in the current “sacred war for defending the security interests of the country and international justice,” language that appeared to mirror Moscow’s excuses for its 2022 full-scale invasion.

The North Korean leader pledged his "invariable support" for Putin and the Russian people.

North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 troops to fight alongside Russian forces since late 2024, according to Western and South Korean officials.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia and North Korea have agreed to station between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops on Russian territory, an escalation from earlier deployments that he described as first hundreds and then thousands of men.

He said the arrangement would give North Korea something more valuable than the manpower it was sending.

"North Korea will build up its capabilities in fairly modern warfare, will receive licences from Russia and will receive all kinds of military tools from them. We understand this clearly," Mr Zelensky said, adding the troops were gaining combat experience and were not preparing for peaceful circumstances.

South ‌Korea's defence ministry said in ⁠late August that Pyongyang was preparing for an additional troop deployment to Russia, though there were ‌no signs that such a deployment ​was imminent.

Last week, Kim extended what state media called his special gratitude and respect to ⁠commanders and soldiers "participating in overseas military operations", ​likely ⁠referring to North ‌Korean troops deployed for Russia's war in Ukraine.

In return for sending ⁠troops and munitions to join Russia's war effort, Pyongyang has received economic and ‌military technology ​assistance from Moscow, according ‌to South Korean ​intelligence assessments.