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North Korea has for the first time confirmed that it sent troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. <\/p>\n
In a report on state news agency KCNA, Pyongyang’s military claimed its soldiers helped Russian forces “completely liberate” the Kursk border region<\/a>, according to an order given by leader Kim Jong Un.<\/p>\n It comes just days after Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov praised the “heroism” of North Korean troops during a Russian counter-offensive, the first time Moscow has publicly acknowledged their involvement.<\/p>\n He also claims Moscow regained full control of the country’s western Kursk region – a claim denied by Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n South Korean and Western intelligence have long reported that Pyongyang dispatched thousands of troops to Kursk last year<\/a>. <\/p>\n The decision to deploy troops was in accordance with a mutual defense treaty between Pyongyang and Moscow, said KCNA.<\/p>\n “They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honour of the motherland,” Kim said according to KCNA.<\/p>\n North Korea and Russia demonstrated their “alliance and brotherhood” in Kursk, adding that a “friendship proven by blood” will greatly contribute to expanding the relationship “in every way”.<\/p>\n The KCNA did not say what would happen to the North Korean troops after their mission in Kursk has ended.<\/p>\n Reports that North Korean soldiers had been deployed emerged in October, following the deepening of bilateral ties between Kim and Putin<\/a>. This included the signing of an accord where both Rusisan leader Vladimir Putin and Kim agreed to support each other if either country was dealing with “aggression”. <\/p>\n