Lavrov meets Kim Jong Un as North Korea backs Russia in Ukraine war

WONSAN (North Korea): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday in Wonsan, in a sign of strengthening the relations between Moscow and Pyongyang, CNN reported.

Russia’s foreign ministry shared a photo of the meeting on Telegram, showing the two leaders together in the coastal city of Wonsan. Lavrov, who arrived in North Korea on Friday for a three-day visit, also held talks with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui on Saturday.

“We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis,” Lavrov said at a press conference following the meeting, as quoted by the Russian state media agency TASS. “Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support for all the objectives of the special military operation, as well as for the actions of the Russian leadership and armed forces.”

CNN reported that Lavrov’s visit marks the second round of strategic dialogue between the countries, following the first round of talks in Moscow in November 2024, when Choe Son Hui visited Russia. At that time, Lavrov praised what he described as “very close contacts” with North Korea’s military and intelligence services.

The trip comes at a crucial moment, with Pyongyang reportedly preparing to deploy an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to aid Russia’s escalated offensive in Ukraine, CNN said, citing Ukrainian intelligence. These forces would add to the estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers sent to Russia last year.

CNN also reported that North Korean troops have been living and fighting in dugouts alongside Russian forces in the border region of Kursk, where they helped repel Ukrainian advances last year. Western officials estimate that around 4,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in the conflict.

Amid increasing integration, CNN noted that training manuals for North Korean artillery have been translated into Russian, reflecting growing interoperability between the two militaries. Additionally, a report from 11 UN member states revealed that Pyongyang sent at least 100 ballistic missiles and nine million artillery shells to Russia in 2024.

As Russia faces frontline shortages despite round-the-clock domestic production, it has grown more reliant on North Korea for arms and ammunition. Satellite images obtained by CNN showed troop transport ships and cargo planes moving between North Korea and Russia, suggesting extensive military logistics underway.

Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its aerial campaign in Ukraine, launching a record 728 drones and 13 missiles on Wednesday, followed by an all-direction drone attack on Kyiv Thursday — a new tactic testing Ukraine’s strained defenses. (ANI)