Putin Marks Liberation Day with Message Emphasizing “Unprecedented” Russia-North Korea Partnership

On August 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to mark the 81st anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day.

Putin: Our Strategic Partnership with North Korea Has Reached ...

The two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June 2024, obligating each side to provide military assistance if the other is attacked. Since then, North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and deployed combat troops and engineers to support Russian operations in Ukraine.

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• Missile transfers: On August 6, reports indicated that Pyongyang moved more than 100 additional ballistic missiles to Russia, accompanied by specialized missile units.

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• Troop deployment plans: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on August 9 that Russia is preparing to receive between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops. Kyodo News later reported a plan to increase the deployment to 50,000 by the end of November.

Kim Jong-un Visits Soviet War Memorial With Daughter as Putin Vows Joint Projects

• Liberation Day: The holiday commemorates Japan’s defeat in World War II and the end of its 35-year colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.

Putin says Russia, North Korea coordinating efforts on regional security

Putin referenced the historic “blood ties and combat friendship” forged during the Soviet Red Army’s assistance in Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule.

Putin: Our Strategic Partnership with North Korea Has Reached ...

• Troop numbers: Zelensky’s estimate of 30,000-50,000 troops contrasts with Kyodo News’ projection of 50,000 by November’s end, indicating uncertainty about the final scale.

Kim Jong-un Visits Soviet War Memorial With Daughter as Putin Vows Joint Projects

• Scope of “joint projects”: Russian and North Korean officials cite broad cooperation, but independent analysts note the term likely refers to military assistance, with detailed inventories remaining unverified.

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• “Our countries actively cooperate in all areas, coordinating their efforts to ensure regional security and stability,” — Vladimir Putin, Russian president

Putin Says Russia, North Korea Coordinating Efforts to Ensure Regional Security, Stability

• “Dear Comrade Kim Jong Un, please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of the national holiday of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea — Liberation Day.” — Vladimir Putin, Russian president

Putin: Our Strategic Partnership with North Korea Has Reached ...