MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the contribution of the North Korean military to the liberation of Russia’s Kursk Region.

"I would like to specifically mention our North Korean military colleagues," Putin said at a Defense Ministry year-end board meeting.

"By the decision of Comrade Chairman of the State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong Un, they were sent to participate in the liberation of the Kursk Region and fought valiantly and bravely with the enemy side by side with Russian soldiers," the Russian president stated. "They also took part in a large-scale and extremely difficult mine clearance operation in the liberated Kursk Region."

Putin added that the country is proud of the feats of Russian soldiers and officers fighting on the front line, all those who protect Russia and the safety of its citizens.

Alongside Russian specialists, combat engineers from North Korea took part in the difficult task of clearing the Kursk Region from explosive devices.

A unit of North Korean combat engineers was formed and deployed to the region by order of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The decision followed bilateral agreements based on a comprehensive strategic partnership deal inked during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang in June 2024.

Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein stated last week that combat engineers of the North Korean 528th Engineer Regiment involved in mine clearance in Russia’s Kursk Region have removed mines on an area of almost 42,400 hectares and destroyed over 1.5 million explosives.

As reported earlier, the personnel of the 528th Engineer Regiment returned to North Korea after accomplishing the combat assignment by the Workers’ Party of Korea in the Kursk Region.