Kim Jong Un paid tribute in Pyongyang to dozens of North Korean soldiers killed fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine. He hailed their "indomitable fighting spirit and noble sacrifice" and awarded commendations to troops returning from the battlefield. State media displayed 101 portraits labeled as "martyrs." Thousands of North Korean soldiers reportedly died after forces first appeared near Kursk in December. Initial tactics involved large-group movements that exposed troops to Ukrainian drones, causing heavy casualties. Ukrainian and other officials estimated thousands killed or wounded, while later reports indicate North Korean units became more organized, better trained and better equipped.
Kim recognized the fallen soldiers at a ceremony held in Pyongyang, during which he hailed their "indomitable fighting spirit and noble sacrifice" in aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine, state media outlet Korean Central News Agency said. Kim also honored troops returning from the battlefield, awarding them with state commendations for their "outstanding valor and noble self-sacrificing spirit," KCNA reported.
Thousands of North Korean soldiers have died fighting in Russia's war since they first appeared on the battlefield in the country's western region of Kursk in December, according to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean officials. At the time, Ukrainian soldiers were stunned by how North Korean soldiers moved in large groups and did not attempt to hide from Ukrainian drones, The Washington Post previously reported. Many were easily killed in those initial waves as a result.
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