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Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia

North Korean leader sends message to Vladimir Putin reaffirming support for Ukraine war.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
Kim Džong Un odgovorio na čestitku iz Kremlja, obećao proširenje saradnje: "Podrška Putinu i ruskom narodu" 1

What this story says

  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin pledging to expand and deepen cooperation between the two countries.
  • Kim Jong Un expressed confidence in Russia's victory in the war in Ukraine and promised his "unwavering support" to Putin and the Russian people.
  • The message comes amid deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including a defense agreement signed in 2024.
  • Kim Jong Un also sent a similar message to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Who covered it

Left 35%(13)Centre 24%(9)Right 41%(15)

Percentages are shares of the 37 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 58 of the 95 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

57/100

Hype

41/100

95 sources · methodology

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia in a message sent to President Vladimir Putin. The message, which responded to Putin's congratulations on North Korea's 78th founding anniversary, also expressed Kim's confidence in Russia's victory in the war in Ukraine. He promised his "unwavering support" to Putin and the Russian people.

This exchange occurs as North Korea and Russia have significantly strengthened their ties. A defense agreement was signed between the two nations in 2024, and North Korea has reportedly sent forces to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. Kim Jong Un also sent a comparable message to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Disagreement on the nature of the war

While Kim Jong Un expressed confidence in Russia's victory, the characterisation of the conflict varied. Dnevni list Danas reported Kim referred to it as a "holy war for the defence of the country's security interests and international justice." La Opinion, The Independent, and The Independent (US) reported Kim referred to it as a "sacred war." Lindependant.fr and Publico also used the term "sacred war." Hot News reported Kim referred to it as "his holy war against Ukraine." News-pravda.com stated Kim promised Russia "victory" in the war. 1news.com.ua reported Kim expressed support for Putin and promised Russia "victory" in the war. Censor.net reported Kim expressed confidence in Moscow's "victory" in the war against Ukraine. Topwar.ru stated Pyongyang is confident of Russia's victory in the conflict in Ukraine. Magyar Nemzet reported Kim Jong Un is confident in Moscow's victory. Expressodasilhas.cv and Observador reported Kim promised support to Russia in a "sacred war." Digi 24 reported that North Korea could send a new wave of troops to Russia after thousands of previously deployed soldiers were killed or injured. Gazeta reported that North Korea is preparing to send another wave of its troops to aid the Russian army.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated reports mention the defence agreement signed in 2024. None of the centre-rated reports mention the defence agreement signed in 2024. None of the right-rated reports mention the defence agreement signed in 2024.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 5 times, most recently on 15 Sept 2026, 17:15, and will add the sides that appear.

How other outlets pictured it

Which photograph to run is each newsroom’s own choice. The leaning beside a name is that outlet’s published rating, not a claim that the pictures divide along it. Every picture is shown from the outlet’s own server and links to the article it ran in.

Vladimiras Putinas ir Kim Jong Unas / VLADIMIR SMIRNOV / AFP
15min.ltCentre

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

13 rated outlets

  • Eight left-rated reports focused on Kim Jong Un's pledge of "unwavering support" for Russia and Vladimir Putin. Several reports, including The Independent and The Independent (US), highlighted Kim's description of the war in Ukraine as a "sacred war." TeleSUR noted the reinforcement of historical ties between North Korea and Russia, stating both countries aim to "protect justice and peace together." IndexHR reported Kim's intention to "expand and deepen" cooperation with Russia. HotNews.ro quoted Kim's promise of "unswerving support" to his "dear friend" Vladimir Putin. Censor.net reported Kim promised to expand DPRK cooperation with Russia and expressed confidence in Moscow's "victory" in the war against Ukraine. La Opinion reported Kim promised his "unchangeable support" to Vladimir Putin, with the missive coming amid speculation about sending more North Korean troops to Russia.

Centre

9 rated outlets

  • Five centre-rated reports highlighted Kim Jong Un's pledge to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia. NK News noted Kim's vow of firm support for Russia's "sacred" Ukraine war ahead of Russia's parliamentary election. 15min.lt reported Kim wrote a letter to Putin promising to "expand and deepen" cooperation. Lindependant.fr reported Kim reaffirmed his support for Russia in its "sacred war" against Ukraine, noting this rapprochement is materialised in defence agreements. Hola News reported Kim promised to expand ties with Russia amid alerts from Kiev about more North Korean troops. Digi 24 reported on why Kim Jong Un might send a new wave of soldiers to fight against Ukraine and what North Korea receives from Russia.

Right

15 rated outlets

  • Seven right-rated reports focused on Kim Jong Un's vow of "invariable support" for Russia and Vladimir Putin. Anadolu Ajansı reported Kim stated Pyongyang is determined to deepen the alliance and expressed confidence in Moscow's victory. Globo reported Kim promised "unshakable support" to Putin and classified the war against Ukraine. Sapo reported Kim promised "inabalable" support to Russia in the war, mentioning a 2024 defense agreement and North Korean soldiers' participation in the war. Observador reported North Korea promised "unshakable" support to Russia in a "sacred war" against Ukraine, also mentioning the 2024 defense agreement and North Korean soldiers' participation. Topwar.ru reported Kim Jong-UN is confident of Russia's victory and will continue to support Moscow and the "brotherly Russian people." News-pravda.com reported Kim Jong-un pledged unwavering support for Russia and reaffirmed Pyongyang's commitment to further deepening ties. Mehr News Agency reported the North Korean leader emphasized the continuation of bilateral cooperation with Russia.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia?
Of the 37 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 35% are rated left, 24% are rated centre, 41% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 95. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 37 rated outlets on this story, 35% are rated left, 24% are rated centre, 41% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia biased?
Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia is one event reported by 95 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Kim Jong Un Pledges Deeper Cooperation with Russia?
95 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What did Kim Jong Un promise Vladimir Putin?
Kim Jong Un promised to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia. He also expressed confidence in Russia's victory in the war in Ukraine and pledged his "unwavering support" to Putin and the Russian people.
How is North Korea supporting Russia in the Ukraine war?
North Korea and Russia have deepened military cooperation, with a defense agreement signed in 2024. Reports suggest North Korea has sent forces to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, and there is speculation about further troop deployments.
Did Kim Jong Un send a similar message to other leaders?
Yes, Kim Jong Un sent a similar message to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both messages were in response to congratulations received from Putin and Xi on North Korea's 78th founding anniversary.

Read it at the source

95 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

13
Show 5 more

Centre

9
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Right

15
Show 7 more

Not rated

58
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How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

Kim Jong Un Russia Cooperation | MediaBias News