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Kremlin Confirms Readiness to Send Military Aid to North Korea
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
The Kremlin has confirmed that Russia is prepared to provide military assistance to North Korea under the terms of its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Russian media Vedomosti reported on April 28.
“Without a doubt. We have a treaty in place, and under this treaty, the parties are obliged to provide immediate assistance to each other if necessary,” Peskov said.
Peskov also referenced the participation of North Korean troops in Russia’s military operation to retake the Kursk region, describing it as evidence of the treaty’s effectiveness.
When asked whether North Korean soldiers had been compensated for their involvement, Peskov redirected questions to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, citing “the regime of the military operation.”
He also noted that no meeting between Russian and North Korean leaders is currently planned.
Moscow only officially confirmed the involvement of North Korean forces after the conclusion of the Kursk operation on April 26.
In a report to Putin, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov acknowledged the contribution of North Korean troops. Before that, reports of Pyongyang’s military participation had come primarily from Western media outlets and Ukrainian officials.
Russia and North Korea ratified their strategic partnership treaty in November 2024. Under its terms, both countries pledged to assist each other in the event of an armed attack, to refrain from entering agreements with third countries that might harm each other’s interests, and to prevent the use of their territories for activities undermining each other’s sovereignty. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has stated that the treaty is intended to be indefinite.
The ratification came shortly after Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August 2024. At the time, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui declared that Pyongyang would support Russia “until victory” in its so-called "special military operation.”
Peskov reiterated Russia’s commitment to North Korea, noting that Pyongyang is now supplying up to half of the artillery shells used by the Russian military, under the terms of the June 2024 strategic partnership agreement.
Kim Jong Un previously acknowledged sending troops to aid Russia’s campaign in the Kursk region, hailing the North Korean soldiers as heroes and promising to erect a monument to them in Pyongyang.
According to South Korean intelligence estimates, North Korea has deployed nearly 15,000 troops to assist Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, with at least 4,000 reportedly killed or wounded due to poor preparation for modern warfare.
Despite the high casualty rates among North Korean troops, Peskov praised their “effective functioning,” crediting their efforts with helping to drive Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region.
Earlier, reports emerged that North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought significant economic and military gains for Pyongyang, with North Korea having earned more than $20 billion through military cooperation with Russia.
The majority of the estimated gains—roughly $19.2 billion—come from the supply of munitions, including artillery shells, rockets, and ballistic missiles.
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
