N Korea's Kim calls Putin 'closest comrade' in birthday message

North Korean person Kim Jong Un has sent a day connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him his "closest comrade".

Kim, congratulating Putin connected his 72nd birthday, added that relations betwixt some countries would beryllium raised to a caller level.

Relations betwixt Pyongyang and Moscow person deepened since the commencement of the Ukraine warfare - successful a determination that has disquieted the West.

Separately connected Tuesday, Kim said Pyongyang would velocity up steps to marque his state a subject ace powerfulness with atomic weapons.

According to Yonhap News quoting North Korean authorities media KCNA, Kim praised relations betwixt some countries, saying they had go "invincible and eternal", since Putin's sojourn to Pyongyang successful June.

"Meetings and comradely ties betwixt us... volition marque a affirmative publication to further consolidating the eternal instauration of the DPRK-Russia friendship," helium added, referring to North Korea by its authoritative name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Earlier this year, Putin and Kim signed an statement pledging that they would assistance each different successful the lawsuit of "aggression" against either state - though it was unclear what would represent aggression.

Kim has been accused of helping Russa successful the warfare against Ukraine by supplying it with weapons successful speech for economical and technological assistance.

There has been increasing grounds that Russia has been deploying North Korean missiles successful Ukraine.

Jeffrey Lewis, a manager astatine the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, had earlier said some Kim and Putin were "trying to trim the symptom of planetary sanctions by creating an alternate web of friends and partners beyond the scope of US sanctions".

During a sojourn by Kim to Russia successful September 2023, Putin had besides promised to assistance North Korea make its satellites, aft respective failed launches by Pyongyang.

A South Korean lawmaker besides seperately connected Tuesday claimed that Seoul's subject had detected evident signs that North Korea had started to physique a imaginable nuclear-powered submarine.

Citing Korea's quality agency, Rep Kang Dae-sik said operation was inactive successful its aboriginal stages and "further confirmation is needed connected whether it is atomic powered".