Jan 01, Kathmandu - In his New Year message, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised the "invincible alliance" he made with Russia and praised his soldiers fighting abroad. He congratulated his troops for their "heroic" defense of the nation's honor and instructed them to "be brave," state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Thursday.

According to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies, Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia's nearly four-year-long invasion of Ukraine. According to South Korean estimates, at least 600 people have died and thousands have been injured. Analysts say that North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, and food and energy supplies from Russia.

Kim hailed the soldiers as "fighting bravely on foreign soil," adding, "Pyongyang and Moscow are behind you." He called on the soldiers to fight "for the fraternal Russian people" to strengthen the alliance with Russia. KCNA released photos of Kim's New Year's speech and grand celebratory performance at May Day Stadium, including his wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Ju Ae. A daughter is considered a potential heir.

According to analysts, the deep alliance with Russia has given Kim's regime an economic and military lifeline, giving him the freedom to reject talks from the US and South Korea. "Foreign military operations or cooperation are no longer exceptional, but have been absorbed as part of official defense policy," said Kyungnam University professor Lim Yul-chul.

However, the on-the-ground details show that the position of North Korean soldiers in Europe's bloodiest war is dire. Two soldiers identified by the South Korean intelligence service and Ukraine have said they received suicide orders after being captured and are now willing to return to the South.