On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed a group of North Korean officers following a military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.

This Victory Day event occurred just a week after Putin expressed gratitude to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for sending troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region, which marked the first official acknowledgment of this troop deployment.

During the gathering at Red Square, Putin was heard expressing his appreciation, saying, “Thank you very much to all your fighters, your heroes. Best wishes,” to the North Korean delegation.

The Russian leader was also seen embracing a North Korean lieutenant general, who was bedecked with medals.

While servicemen from 13 “friendly nations” marched alongside Russian military members in the parade, North Korean soldiers were noticeably absent. Kim Jong Un did not attend either, despite the presence of over two dozen foreign leaders at the Moscow event.

North Korean state media later reported that Kim had visited the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to convey congratulations and emphasized an “invincible alliance” between the two nations, stating, “Pyongyang and Moscow will always be together.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the political, military, and cultural connections between Russia and North Korea have strengthened.

In January, Japanese media reported unnamed Russian sources indicating that North Korean troops were anticipated to participate in World War II commemorative events in Russia for the first time.

Last November, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov formally invited North Korean military personnel to take part in such events during his visit to Pyongyang.