Kim Jong Un calls North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine 'pride of nation' in New Year's message

Reuters reported the information.

He also stated that he expects their return to the homeland.

"Be brave. Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow," the dictator said in his address.

Additionally, the publication notes that the North Korean leader received New Year's greeting cards from a number of foreign leaders, including from China's leader Xi Jinping and his wife. However, Xi Jinping's name was not directly mentioned in the announcement, and additional details were not disclosed.

• On December 13, Kim Jong Un publicly confirmed for the first time the participation of DPRK military personnel in demining operations in Russia's Kursk region, acknowledging that nine soldiers died during the mission.