North Korea has officially confirmed that it has sent troops to the war with Ukraine, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is thanking North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an official statement.

The Russian president thanked the North Korean authorities for entering the war and driving Ukraine out of Kursk. In an official statement, he emphasized the “heroism” and “high level of training” of North Korean soldiers.

“We are sincerely grateful – personally (…) to Comrade Kim Jong Un, the entire leadership and the people of North Korea,” the official statement said.

North Korea has officially confirmed that it has sent troops to the war with Ukraine. A special communiqué was issued, emphasizing the importance of the alliance with Russia.

The KCNA news agency said the soldiers were sent to the front on the orders of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and their “war effort ended victoriously.” The news agency KRT also noted that North Korea had helped drive Ukrainians out of Kursk.

“The operation to liberate Kursk by repelling the adventurous invasion of Russia by Ukraine was successfully concluded. The sub-units of our armed forces that participated in the operation to liberate Kursk under the order of the DPRK leader, demonstrated their fighting spirit and military capability. (The units) made an important contribution in annihilating and wiping out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers by displaying mass heroism, unmatched bravery and self-sacrifice,” read a newscaster for KRT.

The Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party regime said the decision was the result of last year’s comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin.

It was emphasized that Pyongyang considers it an “honor” to be in an alliance with a country like Russia.

In early November last year, the Russian Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, confirmed the agreement on a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea, which was signed in June. In October, the State Duma ratified the document. As the Moscow Times portal points out, in practice, the agreement means a de facto military alliance, although this term is not used in official documents.

Only in the fourth point of the agreement can we read that in the event of an attack on one of the parties to the pact, the other will immediately provide military assistance, as well as other types of support. This is not the end. In the event of a breach of security, Russia and North Korea are to begin joint consultations and take joint actions aimed at “neutralizing the threat.”