Hundreds of injured Russian soldiers receive treatment in N. Korea: report

▲ This undated file photo provided by Russia's foreign ministry shows Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Russian soldiers-N Korea

Hundreds of injured Russian soldiers receive treatment in N. Korea: report

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of injured Russian soldiers have undergone treatment at medical facilities in North Korea amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, a Russian news outlet reported Thursday, citing a senior Russian diplomat.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko made the remarks at the North Korean Embassy in Russia on Wednesday during a ceremony marking the 76th anniversary of a treaty on economic and cultural cooperation between the Soviet Union and North Korea, according to Russia's TASS news agency.

"The facts that hundreds of Russian soldiers have undergone rehabilitation at North Korea's best medical centers ... are a vivid example of the brotherly nature of the current relations between our countries," Rudenko was quoted as saying.

Rudenko, who visited Pyongyang earlier this week, said he held talks with North Korean officials on "bilateral cooperation, international and regional problems," and thanked Pyongyang for its support for what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, according to the report.

The two countries have bolstered ties since signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty last June, with North Korea sending troops to Russia in support of its war efforts against Ukraine.

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