North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has backed out of next month's visit to Moscow for World War II anniversary celebrations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

"We were informed of the decision via diplomatic channels," Peskov said. "The decision is connected with North Korean domestic affairs."

The visit was highly anticipated because it would have marked Kim's first official foreign trip since inheriting the leadership of North Korea in late 2011.

Kim was to have meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the May visit, the Tass news agency reported.

Kim's trip had been anticipated since late December, when Russian state media reported that Moscow had extended an invitation to Pyongyang.

This year's Victory Day marks the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has said it has invited more than 60 world leaders to the celebrations.

CNN's Madison Park and Alla Eshchenko contributed to this report.