Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Soldiers Who Died For Russia As 'heroes' In Emotional Ceremony

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed his country’s fallen soldiers successful Russia’s warfare against Ukraine arsenic “heroes” astatine an affectional grant ceremony, authorities media said Friday, successful a uncommon nationalist admittance of nan losses Pyongyang has suffered in nan conflict.

The North Korean leader “extended heavy gratitude and warmest militant respect” to those who had returned location “despite nan hail of bullets and bombs of nan life-and-death warfare successful nan overseas country,” authorities news agency KCNA reported.

“The triumph won by nan brave soldiers who participated successful nan warfare is simply a awesome feat that firmly defended nan awesome grant of nan KPA,” Kim was quoted arsenic saying, referring to his military, nan Korean People’s Army.

Photos released by authorities media showed Kim pinning commendation badges connected soldiers’ uniforms arsenic good arsenic connected photograph frames of deceased soldiers hung connected a wall. They besides showed him gathering pinch and embracing tearful family members of deceased soldiers.

KCNA said Kim laid a flower connected a memorial wall and paid a silent tribute astatine nan ceremony, during which nan nationalist anthem was besides played.

The ceremonial connected Thursday came a week aft Kim received a missive from Russian President Vladimir Putin that besides described nan North Korean troops arsenic “heroic.”

“The bonds of militant friendship, goodwill and communal assistance which were consolidated successful nan days of nan warfare agelong agone stay coagulated and reliable moreover today,” Putin said successful nan missive published by North Korean authorities media Voice of Korea.

Pyongyang and Moscow person forged progressively adjacent ties aft nan Kremlin recovered itself diplomatically isolated pursuing its February 2022 penetration of Ukraine. Kim and Putin signed a communal defense pact past year, and experts opportunity North Korea whitethorn person sent Russia troops successful speech for precocious subject exertion that would assistance its atomic and ballistic rocket programs.

Neither Russia nor North Korea confirmed nan deployments until months aft Pyongyang sent its first soldiers past fall. Though nan 2 countries person not revealed nan nonstop number of troops involved, it could beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic 15,000, according to South Korean, U.S. and Ukrainian officials.

Of those, astir 600 are believed to person been killed, South Korea’s spy agency said, and thousands much injured.

Though North Korea has 1 of nan largest militaries successful nan world, its troops person had small real-world combat acquisition since nan extremity of nan Korean War successful 1953. But they are powerfully loyal to Kim and are trained to return their ain lives alternatively than surrender, erstwhile North Korean soldiers who defected have told NBC News.

According to South Korean intelligence, location was astatine slightest 1 incident successful which a North Korean worker seeking to debar seizure by Ukrainian forces was killed while trying to detonate a grenade and shouting Kim’s name.

It is unclear really galore North Korean troops stay connected nan frontlines. South Korean lawmakers said aft an intelligence briefing successful June that North Korea could deploy further troops to Russia successful July aliases August and that it was continuing to proviso Moscow pinch arms.