Vladimir Putin gets birthday message from just ONE world leader – North Korea’s Kim Jong-un

ISOLATED Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday party was cancelled yesterday — but he did get a celebratory message from North Korean despot Kim Jong-un.

Lavish celebrations were called off amid rising tensions in Russia over the president’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine.

Jong-un, the only world leader to acknowledge Putin, congratulated the warmongering dictator for “crushing the challenges and threats of the United States”.

In a sign of deepening ties between them, he added: “Russia is reliably defending the dignity of the state and its fundamental interests.”

And he hailed Putin’s “distinguished leadership and strong will”.

Jong-un said co-operation between Communist North Korea and Russia has been strengthened recently like “never before”.

But Putin has never been more isolated on the world stage as he continues his brutal, yet floundering, assault on Ukraine.

Last weekend, he illegally annexed four regions of the country, including Donetsk.

Hours later, Russian troops were squeezed out of the area’s key city of Lyman — and Ukraine has since liberated dozens more towns.

Putin’s party plans were scrapped amid signs the Russian people are starting to turn on him.

Yesterday a Kremlin source was quoted as saying “now is not the time” for birthday celebrations.

Putin's desperate generals reportedly sent 500 convicts, including rapists, murderers and violent criminals, to fight on the front line after ’ advances inflicted crushing defeats.