Kim Jong-un pledges unwavering support to Putin in letter backing Russia's war
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin promising what state media described as unwavering support for Moscow. In the message, Kim also referred to Russia's war against Ukraine as sacred, according to the report published on Tuesday. The letter comes as speculation grows that Pyongyang may be preparing to send more troops to Russia.
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The report said Kim told Putin that his will and that of the North Korean government were firm and unequivocal in seeking to expand and deepen joint work in a comprehensive way. It did not give a date for the letter beyond the publication date of the report. The message was presented as a fresh sign of alignment between the two governments.
North Korea has become a key ally of the Kremlin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysts cited in the report say Pyongyang has already sent troops to support Russia's war effort in exchange for economic benefits and military technology. South Korea estimates that about 2,000 North Korean soldiers died in the war last year, while a more recent assessment puts the number of dead or wounded at about 6,000.
The latest letter matters because it reinforces the political dimension of a military partnership that has already affected the war in Ukraine. Any further deployment of North Korean personnel would deepen concerns in Kyiv and among its allies about the scale of external support available to Moscow. It would also underline how the conflict continues to draw in partners beyond the immediate battlefield.
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The report said speculation about additional troop deployments has intensified, but it did not confirm any new movement of forces. Kyiv has said up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to Russia, although it has not provided evidence for that claim or a timetable. The absence of independently verified details leaves open questions about whether the letter signals an imminent military step or mainly a political message of support.
What happens next will depend on whether there is any confirmed troop movement or further public coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang. For now, the letter adds to a pattern of closer ties that has developed since the start of the war. The main issue to watch is whether the rhetoric is followed by a new deployment or by additional military and economic cooperation.
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