North Korea โMourns Soldiers Killed in Ukraine, Acknowledges Military โSupport for โRussia
Pyongyang, December 20, 2024 – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has publicly mourned soldiers killed while fighting in Ukraine, markingโฃ the firstโข open acknowledgement of his regime’s military supportโ for Russia’s warโข effort. Theโ move comes nearly a year after a notable military โคagreement between โขthe two countries.
state news agency KCNA reported โthat Kimโ Jong-un attended a memorial event in Pyongyang forโ soldiers described as โค”martyrs.” Images released by KCNA โshow the leader embracing grieving family members, including children, and laying medals on memorials dedicated toโค the fallen. He was also depicted kneeling before portraits ofโ the deceased.
The involvement ofโ North Korean troops in the conflict was โคinitially denied by both โMoscow and Pyongyang. However,โค reports from the United States, Ukraine, and South Korea indicate that thousandsโ of north Koreanโ soldiers first appeared on the battlefield in the Russian current โregion.
According toโ The Washington Post, Ukrainian forces wereโข initially surprised by the North Korean soldiers’ deployment โคin large, uncamouflagedโ groups, resulting inโ significant โcasualties in early engagements.โ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in January that up โtoโ 4,000 Northโ Korean soldiers have been killed or injured,โ wiht only two captured.
Recent reports suggestโ a shift in the North Korean forces’ performance. The Washington Post notes that Ukrainian soldiers have observed the troops becoming more organized,better trained,and equipped. Documents recovered โfrom deceased soldiers indicate a high level of motivation, with โmanny reportedly choosing to fight to the death,โค even using grenades rather than surrendering.
Alongside personnel, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia โขwith โฃsubstantial amounts ofโฃ ammunition, including artillery grenades.Kim Jong-un previously paid tribute to the remains of soldiers repatriated to North Korea in July, signaling a โคgrowing willingness to publiclyโ acknowledge the country’s โrole in supporting theโฃ Russian war effort.