North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Russia’s National Day on June 11, voicing full support for Moscow’s domestic and foreign policies, state media KCNA reported.
Kim said ties between North Korea and Russia were strengthening into an alliance based on a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, and pledged to “always be with” Russia, according to Reuters. The message underscores the deepening military and political alignment between the two countries amid North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The two countries signed the strategic partnership treaty during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024. The treaty came into force in December 2024 and includes a mutual defense clause, committing both nations to increase cooperation across security, political, and economic domains. Officials in Washington and Seoul have accused Pyongyang of supplying artillery shells, missiles, and other military materials for use in Ukraine, though Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers.
New Infrastructure Deepens Ties
The alliance is being cemented by physical infrastructure. A new 850-meter road bridge across the Tumen River, the first direct road link between the two countries, is set to open on June 19, 2026—just eight days after Kim’s congratulatory message. The bridge will be capable of handling up to 300 vehicles and transporting 2,850 people per day, according to Radio Free Asia.
The bridge was agreed during Putin’s 2024 visit and has been under construction since April 2025. Analysts say the connection will further facilitate trade and provide North Korea with additional means to circumvent international sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs. The project was overseen by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Russia and North Korea previously had only one land crossing, completed in 1959, making the new bridge a significant expansion of overland connectivity between the allies.
Sources
- Reuters — Kim’s congratulatory message on Russia’s National Day, full support pledge, strategic partnership treaty details, and bridge opening date
- Radio Free Asia — Bridge capacity specifications and opening timeline
- KCNA — State media confirmation of the message via Reuters reporting
