North Korea ensures Russia “unconditional support”

North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un has guaranteed Russia in the war against Ukraine state media “unconditional support”. At a meeting with the secretary of the National Security Council of Russia, Sergei Schoigu, on Thursday in Pyongyang, “expectation and conviction” also said that Russia will result from the war, reported the state -owned North Korean news agency KCNA. Ukraine, however, reported several dead after renewed Russian attacks in various regions of the country.

Kim also said at the meeting that Pyongyang would “support Russia and his foreign policy attitude unconditionally in all important international political issues, including the Ukraine question”. Both sides therefore agreed to “continue to expand the relationships dynamically”.

According to the Russian news agency Tass, Schoigu, who had been a defense minister until May 2024, had traveled to Pyongyang at the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was Schoigus’ second visit to Pyongyang in less than three months. Last year, Russia and North Korea had concluded an agreement on a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, which also contains a clause for mutual defense. Schoigu last visited Pjöngjang in March when he welcomed the agreement as “fully according to the interests of both countries”.

The traditional allies Russia and North Korea have approached each other in recent years. Pyongyang recently confirmed the posting of soldiers and the delivery of weapons to Russia to support Moscow offensive against Ukraine.

Russia, however, continued its attacks on Ukraine at night. In the north of Ukraine, at least five people were killed in a Russian drone attack. Among the fatalities of the attacks in the city of Priluki are two women and a one -year -old child who belonged to the same family, said President Wolodymyr Selenskyj. According to the authorities, other people were also violated. Damage to residential buildings had also been reported.

Two other fatalities were reported on Thursday after a Russian attack on a training area in the eastern region of PoltaWa. Moscow had recently repeatedly targeted military facilities, including far from the front. This led to allegations that the army members were not adequately protected.

After a similar attack on the weekend, in which twelve soldiers were killed, the Ukrainian army commander Mychajlo Drapatyj had resigned.

In another attack on the city of Charkiw in the northeast of Ukraine, 18 people were injured, including four children, as Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

Selenskyj accused Russia with a view to the current negotiations on a ceasefire to “give time” in order to continue killing. Russia has now rejected a complete, unconditional ceasefire in the two direct talks between representatives of Russia and Ukraine.

Selenskyj again asked the West to impose further sanctions against Moscow. “We expect the United States, Europe and everyone in the world that can really help change these terrible circumstances, take measures,” added Selenskyj.

Since Russia’s invasion into Ukraine in February 2022, tens of thousands of people have been killed. Large parts of East and South Ukraine are destroyed, millions of people were forced to flee. Russia holds about 20 percent of the Ukrainian territory.