Pakistan(National Times)- SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed his support for Russia’s stance on the conflict with Ukraine, stressing that Moscow has the right to act in self-defence. Speaking to Russia’s defence minister, Kim claimed that Ukraine’s deployment of long-range weapons reflects direct military involvement by the United States, according to a report from state media on Saturday.  Kim met Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov on Friday and said “the US and the West made Kyiv authorities attack Russia’s territory with their own long-range strike weapons” and Russia should take action to make “hostile forces pay the price,” KCNA news agency said. “The DPRK government, army and people will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists’ moves for hegemony,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying. DPRK is short for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Kim pledged to expand ties with Russia in all areas including military affairs under the comprehensive strategic partnership he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, which includes a mutual defence agreement, KCNA said. Moscow and Pyongyang have dramatically advanced ties since their leaders held a summit in September last year in Russia, and the North has since shipped more than 10,000 containers of ammunition, as well as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers, according to South Korea’s spy agency. KCNA made no mention of whether Kim and Belousov discussed North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia. South Korea’s spy agency has said North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and they have been moved to frontlines, including the Kursk region where Russian forces are trying to expel Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has fired US ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory after the administration of US President Joe Biden gave permission to use them for such an attack this month. Russia in turn unleashed attacks against Ukraine’s military and energy infrastructures, saying it was in response to the use of US medium-range missiles. Belousov separately held talks with North Korea’s Defence Minister No Kwang Chol and said the partnership pact signed by Kim and Putin will contribute to maintaining balance of power in Northeast Asia. Kim personally attended a reception hosted by the defence ministry for Belousov’s delegation, KCNA said.