SEOUL, Jan 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised his troops fighting abroad as forging an "invincible alliance" with Russia in a new year's message, state media said Thursday. Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates. The North Korean leader praised soldiers for strengthening the "invincible alliance" with Russia, calling on them to fight "for the fraternal Russian people". On-the-ground accounts, however, paint a grim picture for North Korean troops embedded in Europe's bloodiest war in decades.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 01, 2026 02:35 UTC