Kim Jong Un Opens Memorial for North Korean Soldiers Killed in Ukraine War

goodinfo.net — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:52:00 +0800

📰 Kim Jong Un Opens Memorial for North Korean Soldiers Killed in Ukraine War

On April 27, 2026, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un joined Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov in Pyongyang to unveil the “Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations,” honoring North Korean soldiers believed to have died in the Ukraine conflict.

During the ceremony, military jets flew overhead and white balloons were released into the air as Kim and Belousov unveiled a statue and opened the memorial museum. According to North Korean state media, Kim assured Belousov that North Korea “will as ever fully support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend the national sovereignty, territorial integrity and security interests,” adding that Russia will “surely win a victory in the just sacred war.”

South Korean intelligence estimates that at least 15,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to assist Russia in recaptured parts of western Kursk. Seoul also estimates that approximately 2,000 North Koreans have died in the conflict—though neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has released official casualty figures.

In exchange for providing troops, North Korea is believed to have received food, financial aid, and technical assistance from Moscow. Beyond soldiers, Pyongyang has also pledged to send thousands of workers to help rebuild the Kursk region.

Belousov said he discussed long-term military cooperation with North Korean officials during his visit. In addition to meeting with Belousov, Kim also held talks with Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia’s parliament and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.

The opening of the memorial coincided with what Russia described as the first anniversary of its recovery of parts of the Kursk region. Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Kursk in August 2024, and Russia claimed to have regained full control of the area a year later.

In June 2024, Putin and Kim signed a mutual defense pact pledging that Russia and North Korea would assist each other in the event of “aggression” against either country. At the time, Kim hailed the treaty as the “strongest ever.” During a meeting on the sidelines of China’s military parade in Beijing last September, Putin personally thanked Kim for supporting Russia’s war effort, telling him: “Your soldiers fought courageously and heroically.”

North Korea’s deployment of soldiers to the Ukraine conflict has drawn widespread international concern and condemnation. The United Nations and the United States have repeatedly accused Pyongyang of violating UN Security Council resolutions by providing military support to Russia. Analysts warn that the deepening of North Korean-Russian military cooperation not only shifts the balance of power in the Ukraine conflict but could also have profound implications for the security landscape in Northeast Asia.

Source: BBC News

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Kim Jong Un Opens Memorial for North Korean Soldiers Killed in Ukraine War

📰 Kim Jong Un Opens Memorial for North Korean Soldiers Killed in Ukraine War