Moscow Calling – September 3
Putin praises North Korean soldiers for participating in battles for the Kursk region
During talks in Beijing, Vladimir Putin stated that North Korean special forces took part in liberating the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the personal initiative of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un. The Russian leader emphasized that the North Korean military acted in accordance with the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and showed “courage and heroism.” In response, Kim Jong-un thanked Putin for his high assessment and noted that Russia’s assistance is a “brotherly duty” for Pyongyang. According to the DPRK’s Minister of State Affairs, Pyongyang is ready to continue providing comprehensive support to Moscow. The Kremlin and the General Staff emphasized the significance of the North Korean military’s contribution to repelling the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive on the Kursk region, which began in August 2024 and ended in April 2025 (TASS).
Intended effect: The article demonstrates the strengthening of the military alliance between Russia and North Korea, showing their joint actions and mutual commitments to “brotherly” support. It emphasizes that North Korea is prepared to engage in combat operations alongside Russia, reinforcing the notion that Moscow’s circle of allies is expanding and lending international legitimacy to its actions against Ukraine.
Medical tourism in Russia and the shortage of healthcare personnel
The Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok hosted a session entitled “Medical Tourism to Russia: A Journey to Health.” Deputy Minister of Health Evgenia Kotova and participants discussed what medical technologies and practices could be offered to foreign patients, as well as the Far East’s potential for developing medical tourism. The questions concerned building trust in the Russian healthcare system and developing a full-cycle service for foreign citizens. At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Health issued an order allowing paramedics and midwives to temporarily perform the duties of district doctors. This decision was motivated by a shortage of doctors, especially in rural and remote areas. Paramedics are allowed to collect medical histories, conduct minimal examinations, and prescribe basic tests and medications, including narcotics and psychotropic drugs, within established standards. According to State Duma deputies, the measure is temporary and aimed at ensuring the availability of medical care during a staffing shortage (TASS, ria.ru).
Intended effect: The combination of medical tourism and expansion of paramedics’ remit reveals a contradiction: Russia declares its intention to attract foreign patients and offer them modern medical services, while at the same time demonstrating a shortage of qualified doctors for its own population. Mentioning the temporary replacement of medical functions by mid-level personnel undermines the credibility of statements about the readiness to accept foreign patients. Thus, the narrative about exporting medical services is combined with the official recognition of systemic staffing problems within the country.
RIA: “Coalition of the willing” in disarray ahead of Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in Paris
In her article on RIA Novosti, Russian journalist Viktoria Nikiforova describes the upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris as a critical moment for the so-called “Coalition of the Willing.” She compares European leaders to the characters in the comedy “Kidnapping, Caucasian Style”: France is portrayed as formidable, Britain as helpless, and Germany as hysterical. According to the article, Europe finds itself in a contradictory situation: it promises support to Kyiv. Still, it is forced to explain itself to its own voters, who do not want to be drawn into a war with Russia. The author notes the internal conflicts between Ursula von der Leyen and the German defense minister, as well as Trump’s skepticism about U.S. involvement, and the categorical rejection of military intervention by Hungary and Slovakia. Nikiforova argues that the West’s plans were initially based on the use of American troops, as European societies would not accept sending their soldiers to Ukraine. The article also emphasizes that the EU’s true goal was to destabilize Russia; however, these efforts ultimately led to a crisis within the European countries themselves (ria.ru).
Intended effect: The article paints a picture of a fragmented and helpless European coalition, highlighting internal contradictions and declining trust in its leaders. Meanwhile, it portrays Trump as a politician who can resist pressure from allies and avoid U.S. involvement in a “foreign” war. The result is a narrative in which the West suffers defeat, while Russia retains its strategic advantage by acting as a power interested in preventing global war.