Letter sent to mark anniversary of end of Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea is latest sign of increasingly close ties between two leaders

Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, thanked North Korea for its support and assistance in the war against Ukraine, calling the cooperation between the countries a strategic partnership,

During the call with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the “bravery” of North Korean troops who fought with Russia against Ukraine.