Moscow, 28 April

Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korean troops for fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region.

In a statement released by the Kremlin on Monday morning, Putin hailed “heroism, high level of special training and dedication of the (North) Korean fighters, who, shoulder to shoulder with Russian fighters, defended our Motherland as their own.”

Putin's statement came on the heels of North Korea confirming it sent troops to Russia to help in its war against Ukraine. Russia first confirmed North Korean soldiers' involvement in the battle in the Kursk region, where Kyiv's troops seized chunks of land in August 2024, on Saturday.