Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 74 yesterday, but the birthday messages he received could hardly have been more different from warm congratulations by Moscow’s allies to ironic messages and harsh accusations from Ukraine.
Among the first to congratulate him was North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who addressed Putin as “my dearest friend” and reaffirmed Pyongyang’s support for Moscow.
In a message published by North Korean state media, Kim praised Putin’s leadership and declared that Russia would achieve “victory and glory,” describing Moscow’s war as “just and sacred.” He also pledged to further deepen the strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia.
But a very different “birthday greeting” came from Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that the ultimate “gift” for Putin should be facing justice in The Hague.
“His ultimate gift will be a place in the dock in The Hague,” Sybiha said, adding that Ukraine is working to ensure that the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine moves into its practical phase next year.
Ukraine’s top diplomat also mocked the latest Russian attacks, which took place on Putin’s birthday, saying that Russian generals had brought the president “his favorite gift: war crimes.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also linked the latest Russian offensive to Putin’s 74th birthday. Missile and drone strikes hit several regions of Ukraine, including a residential building in Pryluky, while Ukrainian authorities reported fatalities and dozens of injuries. Zelenskyy described the destruction of the building as a “birthday gift” for the Russian president.
Ukraine’s General Staff also used the occasion to highlight its assessment of Russian military losses in the war. The figures are not confirmed by Moscow and cannot be independently verified.
