Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed North Korean troops sent to fight in Ukraine as "heroic" in a letter to Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media reported Friday.- 'Excellent soldiers' - The letter from Putin came alongside a visit by a Russian delegation to Pyongyang,

Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, thanked North Korea for its support and assistance in the war against Ukraine, calling the cooperation between the countries a strategic partnership,

Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, conveyed greetings from the Russian leader and thanked Kim for North Korea's support of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Putin held a phone call with Kim on Tuesday and updated him on planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.