Thu Jan 01 11:30:00 UTC 2026: News Article:
Kim Jong-un Hails Troops Fighting in Ukraine, Cementing Alliance with Russia
Pyongyang – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has lauded his troops fighting abroad, believed to be in Ukraine supporting Russia’s invasion, as instrumental in forging an “invincible alliance” with Moscow. In a New Year’s message carried by state media KCNA on Thursday, Kim praised their “heroic” defense of the nation’s honour in what he termed an “alien land,” urging them to “be brave.”
While North Korea has not officially confirmed the deployment of troops to Ukraine, South Korean and Western intelligence agencies estimate thousands have been sent. South Korean sources claim that hundreds of North Korean soldiers have died and thousands have been injured in the conflict. Analysts believe that in exchange for military support, North Korea is receiving crucial financial aid, military technology, food, and energy supplies from Russia, providing a vital economic lifeline to Kim’s regime.
Kim’s message explicitly linked the troops’ actions to the strengthening of the alliance with Russia, stating, “Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow,” and calling on them to fight “for the fraternal Russian people.” He further hinted at continued or expanded overseas military operations in the coming year, promising “remarkable feats you will perform on the overseas battlefields.”
The announcement comes as Kim marked the New Year with a lavish celebration and speech in Pyongyang, accompanied by his wife and daughter, who is widely believed to be his successor. The deepening ties with Russia have also allowed North Korea to dismiss attempts at dialogue from the US and South Korea.
However, reports from the ground paint a starkly different picture of the North Korean soldiers’ experiences. According to South Korean intelligence and accounts from North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces, Pyongyang has ordered its troops to commit suicide rather than face capture. Two such captured soldiers, currently held by Kyiv, have expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.
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