Kim Jong Un Calls Russia’s War ‘Sacred,’ Pledges Continued Support for Moscow

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged continued support for Russia and described Moscow’s war against Ukraine as “sacred,” as speculation grows that Pyongyang could send additional troops to bolster Russian forces. In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Moscow and backing Russia’s war effort, AFP reported, citing North Korean state media.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Firmly convincing the victory of the Russian Federation in the present sacred war for defending the security interests of the country and international justice, I promise my invariable support to dear friend you and the fraternal Russian people,” Kim wrote, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea has emerged as one of Russia’s closest military partners since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Pyongyang has supplied weapons and troops to support Russian forces, while analysts say North Korea has received economic assistance and access to Russian military technology in return. South Korea’s intelligence service previously estimated that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces. A later assessment put the number of North Korean troops killed or wounded at roughly 6,000. In his letter, Kim also pledged to broaden cooperation between the two countries, saying Pyongyang remained committed to deepening ties with Russia across multiple areas. Other Topics of Interest SBU Urges Residents of Occupied Ukrainian Territories Not to Participate in Russia’s September Elections The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said the Kremlin aims to use the planned vote to legitimize its control over occupied Ukrainian territory. The message comes amid reports that North Korea could dispatch additional forces to Russia. Kyiv has said that as many as 50,000 additional North Korean troops could eventually be deployed to Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky has cited the prospect of further North Korean involvement while urging South Korea to provide Ukraine with air defense systems capable of protecting its cities from Russian missile attacks. Seoul has so far stopped short of supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons directly. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.