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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised the country’s troops deployed to Russia under a mutual defense agreement as heroes, pledging that their sacrifices will be permanently honored in the homeland, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The presence of North Korean forces in Russia’s Kursk region, where they were deployed to expel Ukrainian soldiers, was officially confirmed on Saturday (April 26) during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, who praised DPRK troops for “demonstrating high professionalism, courage, and heroism in battle.”
North Korean soldiers were protecting Russian soil “as their own,” demonstrating “indomitable will and ultimate sacrifice,” the Central Military Commission in Pyongyang has announced. Their heroic deeds, it added, recorded “legendary achievements” and further proved the “unbreakable alliance” between the two states. “Those who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the nation’s honor,” Kim Jong-un declared, as cited by KCNA.
The West had been aware of the presence of North Korean soldiers in Kursk, and had subjected their presence to ridicule of both their capabilities and that of the Russian military. The strategic decision to invade Kursk was made to force Russia to redeploy its own soldiers from the east Ukraine frontline. Instead, Russia requested North Korean soldiers be deployed to fight the Ukrainians while the Russian soldiers stayed in position. The result has been that an estimated 75,000 Ukrainian troops in Kursk died and their forces expelled, while Russia has maintained its eastern offensive.
The situation also has implications for NATO as the North Koreans have effectively defeated a NATO-backed military force, as well as having experienced NATO-supported military operations under battlefield conditions for the first time.
A monument honoring their combat feats will soon be erected in our capital, and everlasting flowers will be laid before the gravestones of the fallen by the nation and the people.
Pyongyang did not reveal the exact number of North Korean troops deployed or how many lost their lives in battle, but Kim emphasized that the homeland must always remember their spirit and take special national measures to honor and care for the families of veterans.
“The combat spirit and heroism of our soldiers, who glorified the name of the strong and victorious, will shine forever on the high pedestal of respect and honor,” he said.
The North Korean leader also extended his “heartfelt and combative greetings” to Russian forces and the Russian people, congratulating them on a “great victory” in Kursk.
Moscow hailed Pyongyang’s “solidarity,” with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova calling the assistance of “our Korean friends” a “manifestation of the high, essentially allied level of our relations.”
Kiev and its Western backers had long alleged that North Korean troops were involved in the hostilities in Kursk Region, which was invaded by Ukrainian forces last August. Until the area was secured last week, Pyongyang and Moscow neither confirmed nor denied the reports, while the Russian president insisted it was up to the two nations to determine how they fulfill their obligations under their partnership pact.
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