North Korea has held the opening ceremony for a memorial in Pyongyang built for its troops sent to Russia to fight Ukraine. Russia’s parliamentary speaker met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and expressed gratitude.
Russia’s state-run Tass news agency reported that the ceremony took place on Sunday at the newly completed facility.
The event coincides with the first anniversary of Russia announcing the recapture of the country’s western region of Kursk from Ukraine as well as participation of the North Korean military in the fighting.
The chairman of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, and Russian defense minister Andrei Belousov were among the attendees along with Kim.
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a message saying that fighting shoulder to shoulder with their Russian brothers-in-arms, North Korean soldiers and officers demonstrated exceptional courage and genuine self-sacrifice, covering themselves with undying glory.
Volodin wrote in a social media post on Sunday that he held talks with Kim and conveyed Moscow’s gratitude for the soldiers’ dispatch.
The Russian defense ministry said Belousov had met Kim and the soldiers who were dispatched to Russia and handed them state decorations.