North Korea’s Kim Declares Unconditional Support for Russia in Ukraine War

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged unconditional support for Russia’s war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu. This reflects growing cooperation between the two nations. North Korea’s involvement includes troop deployments alongside Russian forces, raising concerns in the international community about military and nuclear developments.

In a significant development, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has stated that his country will offer “unconditional support” for Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. This announcement came during a recent meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary, Sergei Shoigu, in Pyongyang. Reported by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Thursday, this pledge indicates a growing alliance between North Korea and Russia amidst the geopolitical conflict.

Earlier this year, in April, the two countries confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. This marks a historical moment as they joined forces in defending against Ukraine’s incursions into Russia’s Kursk region. During that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude for North Korea’s involvement, vowing to remember their sacrifices in the conflict.

Kim’s discussions with Shoigu included plans to strengthen their strategic partnership while expressing solidarity on various global political issues, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine. However, the official reports did not provide further details on their discussions, leaving some points ambiguous.

On another note, the Russian state media have reported that Shoigu and Kim also talked about efforts to rebuild the Kursk region devastated by the conflict and the means to honor the contributions of North Korean soldiers. In April 2025, Russia claimed it fully reclaimed the Kursk area, yet Ukraine has insisted that its forces still hold ground within that region, creating a complex narrative around the ongoing warfare.

Shoigu’s visit in March preceded this meeting and reflected a continuing dialogue between the two nations. While neither country has disclosed the exact number of North Korean troops currently in Russia, intelligence sources from the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine have estimated that approximately 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia last fall to support military operations, marking their first engagement in such a conflict since the Korean War.

Recently, South Korean authorities indicated that an additional 3,000 troops were dispatched to Russia earlier this year. Meanwhile, North Korea has been reportedly providing Russia with a significant quantity of conventional arms. Concurrently, there are rising concerns among the U.S. and South Korean intelligence regarding the potential for Russia to reciprocate with military and economic aid to North Korea, including advanced technology that could bolster Kim Jong Un’s nuclear ambitions, which targets their adversaries.

In conclusion, Kim Jong Un’s recent declaration of unconditional support for Russia in its conflict with Ukraine illustrates a deepening of ties between North Korea and Russia. With North Korean troops now reported to have been deployed alongside their Russian counterparts, and ongoing discussions of mutual cooperation in military and economic domains, the geopolitical ramifications of this alliance could be profound. Meanwhile, concerns persist about the implications for regional security, particularly regarding North Korea’s nuclear ambitions amid such support.

Original Source: abcnews.go.com