North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him his “closest comrade” and celebrating their countries’ deepening military alliance. Kim expressed confidence that this alliance would make them “invincible.” Putin, who turned 72, received well-wishes from a few international allies, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kim reminisced about their meeting in June, where they strengthened their strategic relations and declared their shared commitment to independence and justice. He assured that Pyongyang would always support Moscow and praised Putin’s leadership, wishing him good health.

Putin celebrated his birthday quietly in Moscow, despite public celebrations and messages of support, including one from Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin. The relationship between Kim and Putin has grown stronger since Putin’s visit to North Korea in June, where they signed a mutual defense agreement and discussed military cooperation, particularly in response to Western support for Ukraine