North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare and emotional gesture of mourning soldiers who died fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, as he paid public tribute to them on television. At the ceremony, which seemed to serve as a repatriation ceremony as well, Kim was seen placing his hands on flag-covered coffins, paying homage to his nation’s foreign combat deaths for the very first time.
The tribute was part of a spectacular gala in Pyongyang celebrating North Korea’s military partnership with Russia a year ago. The event, held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, included moving music and war images. Kim was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, sister Kim Yo Jong, and high-ranking officials, while Russia was represented by Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova.
A moving photograph exhibited during the event was that of a notebook smeared with blood found among a dead soldier in Russia’s Kursk province, containing reportedly patriotic sayings calling for soldiers to fight with courage under Kim’s command.
While the precise timing of the repatriation is uncertain, winter uniforms worn by participants indicate it occurred months prior. North Korea only confirmed troop sending to Russia in April after months of denial. South Korea estimates 15,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent since late 2024, with 600 casualties and almost 5,000 wounded.
Videos also depicted Kim as a field commander, signing orders for attacking Kursk on several dates in 2023. Even though few coffins were displayed, observers consider the ceremony to have been symbolic, intended to fit losses into the context of a larger victory story.
North Korea is said to have exchanged missile and artillery supplies with Russia in return for economic and technological assistance. The June 2024 military agreement contains a mutual defense provision. Additional North Korean engineering and support forces may be sent by August, reports say.