Russia and North Korea commemorated the second anniversary of their mutual defence and comprehensive strategic partnership treaty on June 19, two years after the agreement was signed.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his country’s commitment to support Russia and strengthen cooperation, according to Bluesky, and later sent a message to President Vladimir Putin suggesting that the ties were evolving into a firm military alliance beyond a transactional relationship, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Russian diplomat Sergey Ryabkov said the parties were maximally committed to deepening their relations, according to TASS. The South China Morning Post also noted that North Korea seeks to rekindle its traditional “blood alliance” with China.

Kyiv Independent reported that DPRK troops have fought alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, that North Korean missiles have struck Ukrainian cities, and that millions of artillery shells exported by North Korea have helped fuel Russia’s war machine. NBC News reported that a Russian delegation, including Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, attended a ceremony honoring North Korean soldiers killed while fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces staged an incursion in 2024.

NBC News also noted that Russia launched a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to occupy around one‑fifth of the country.