Chilling memorial to North Korean soldiers who died fighting for Russia in Ukraine
- North Korea has begun constructing a memorial in Pyongyang for its soldiers who died fighting for Russia in the Ukraine war.
- Leader Kim Jong Un attended the groundbreaking ceremony, declaring the alliance with Russia to be at a "historic peak" and forged "at the cost of blood".
- Kim Jong Un stated that a year had passed since North Korea dispatched combatants to Russia's Kursk region, where they reportedly fought against "neo-Nazi invaders".
- South Korean estimates suggest North Korea supplied approximately 15,000 troops, with the British defence ministry claiming around 6,000 North Korean soldiers have died.
- The partnership, formalised last June as a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership", includes a mutual defence agreement obligating both nations to assist each other if attacked.