North Korea has started constructing a memorial to honour its soldiers who have died fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine, state media reported. Leader Kim Jong-un attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Pyongyang alongside Russia's ambassador to the country.
The Memorial Museum of Combat Feats, announced by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday, was described by Kim as a 'sacred sanctuary dedicated to the immortality of true patriots'. The museum will feature sculptures, photographs and artwork portraying the service of North Korean troops in Russia.
According to estimates from South Korea, at least 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded during the conflict. North Korea has been a key ally to Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sending thousands of troops and container loads of weapons to support the war effort.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kim praised his country's soldiers for their role in Russia's Kursk region, saying they had helped achieve a 'decisive victory' against what he called 'fiendish neo-Nazi invaders'. He added that relations between North Korea and Russia were 'now rising to its historic peak'.
The ceremony was attended by Russian ambassador Aleksandr Matsegora, other embassy officials, North Korean government and military figures, and families of soldiers who have died in Russia. The development follows a strategic partnership agreement signed last year, obliging both sides to provide military and other assistance if either is attacked. In Moscow, an art exhibition has also been held to celebrate ties with Pyongyang, depicting North Korean and Russian soldiers resisting what is described as a hostile West.
