MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/. Moscow appreciates North Korea’s support of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and takes this fact into account in promoting the course towards comprehensively developing relations with Pyongyang, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said in an interview with TASS published on Tuesday.
"North Korea was among the countries that firmly supported, including on the UN platform, the decision by the Russian Federation to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine, and also the integration of the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics into Russia. We appreciate this support and, undoubtedly, take it into account in promoting the course towards comprehensively developing traditional relations of friendship and cooperation that was laid down at a meeting of the Russian and North Korean leaders in Vladivostok in April 2019," the high-ranking Russian diplomat pointed out.
Russia and North Korea display similar approaches to most pressing international issues and a high level of political dialogue and mutual understanding, which "create good pre-requisites for that," he stressed.
On July 13, 2022, North Korea recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Following this, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced it was severing diplomatic relations with North Korea.
On September 23-27, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions held referendums on their accession to Russia. An overwhelming majority of residents of these territories showed their support for this step. On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of these regions signed treaties on the integration of these territories into Russia. On October 4, President Putin signed laws on ratifying the treaties on integrating the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions into Russia.