Putin thanks North Korean leader for North Koreans’ bravery in Ukraine

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has thanked Kim Jong Un for the courage of his troops who have been fighting in Ukraine on the Russian side, the BBC writes.

The two leaders met on Wednesday in Beijing as China held one of its largest ever military parades, which commemorated 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Asia.

It marked the first time the North Korean leader has attended an international gathering of world leaders. He rarely leaves North Korea, and usually only meets leaders one-on-one.

Putin, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, said bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea are friendly and that Pyongyang’s military helped to liberate the Kursk region.