MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged his support to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un following severe flooding in North Korea, as per a Kremlin statement released on Saturday.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Putin expressed his solidarity with North Korea in a condolence message sent to Kim, stating, "We share the pain and mourning of the friendly people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." He further reassured the North Korean leader, emphasizing, "You can always count on our help and support." This declaration follows a series of torrential rains in July that led to significant flooding across North Korea, particularly affecting the southwestern town of Kaesong, which recorded a staggering 463 millimeters of rain in a single day—the highest in 29 years, according to the South Korean meteorological center.

The relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang has deepened significantly since the end of the Korean War and has grown closer still following the commencement of Russian military operations in Ukraine in February 2022. Notably, a mutual defense agreement was signed between the two nations during a summit in Pyongyang at the end of June, where Putin was received with considerable honors.