Fighting for Russia: Kim "comforts" families of killed North Korean soldiers

In the fight for Russia, Kim "comforts" families of killed North Korean soldiers 30.08.2025, 08:07

North Korea is supporting Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine with troops. Approximately 600 of these soldiers have already been killed. In a propaganda show, Kim Jong Il is now meeting parents who lost their children in this way.

According to state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met with the families of soldiers killed while serving alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine. Kim expressed his condolences to the bereaved for their "unbearable pain," the North Korean news agency KCNA reported.

According to reports, Kim delivered a speech on Friday addressed to the families of all the victims, after meeting only with a few bereaved relatives at another ceremony last week. "I have been thinking a lot about the families of other martyrs who were not present," Kim said, according to KCNA, referring to last week's event. He organized the event "because I wanted to meet and comfort the bereaved families of all the heroes and at least alleviate their grief and sorrow a little," Kim reportedly said.

He promised to erect a memorial for the slain soldiers in the capital, Pyongyang, and declared that the state would provide comprehensive support to the children of the victims. "My heart aches even more at the sight of these young children," Kim reportedly said. "I, our state, and our army will take full responsibility for them and train them to be admirable, steadfast, and courageous fighters—like their fathers," he added.

About 600 casualties

Pyongyang has not yet released any figures on the number of North Korean soldiers killed in the Ukraine war. Seoul, however, estimates the death toll at around 600, with thousands more wounded.

According to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies, North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in 2024, mainly deployed in the Kursk border region.

Russia and North Korea have strengthened their ties in recent years following Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. Both signed a mutual defense pact last year. In April, Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that North Korean soldiers had been sent to Russia to fight against the Ukrainian army.