How Kim Jong Un’s latest speech justifies North Korean troop dispatch to Russia



Analysis How Kim Jong Un’s latest speech justifies North Korean troop dispatch to Russia DPRK leader links threats from South Korea to Ukrainian ‘neo-Nazis,' suggests fighting Kyiv is necessary to deter Seoul Anton Sokolin May 12, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Jong Un delivering a speech at the Russian Embassy on May 9, 2025 \| Image: Rodong Sinmun (May 10, 2025) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may not have attended the mass parade through Moscow’s Red Square on Friday, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to use the anniversary of Russia’s World War II victory over Nazi Germany to celebrate their bilateral military ties. In a speech at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, Kim offered his fullest explanation to date for his decision to deploy thousands of Korean People’s Army soldiers to fight against Ukraine, echoing the Kremlin’s propaganda about needing to oppose the “neo-Nazi” regime in Kyiv. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may not have attended the mass parade through Moscow’s Red Square on Friday, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to use the anniversary of Russia’s World War II victory over Nazi Germany to celebrate their bilateral military ties. In a speech at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, Kim offered his fullest explanation to date for his decision to deploy thousands of Korean People’s Army soldiers to fight against Ukraine, echoing the Kremlin’s propaganda about needing to oppose the “neo-Nazi” regime in Kyiv. Try unlimited access Only $1 for four weeks Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Analysis

How Kim Jong Un’s latest speech justifies North Korean troop dispatch to Russia

DPRK leader links threats from South Korea to Ukrainian ‘neo-Nazis,' suggests fighting Kyiv is necessary to deter Seoul

Anton Sokolin May 12, 2025

How Kim Jong Un’s latest speech justifies North Korean troop dispatch to Russia

Kim Jong Un delivering a speech at the Russian Embassy on May 9, 2025 | Image: Rodong Sinmun (May 10, 2025)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may not have attended the mass parade through Moscow’s Red Square on Friday, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to use the anniversary of Russia’s World War II victory over Nazi Germany to celebrate their bilateral military ties.

In a speech at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, Kim offered his fullest explanation to date for his decision to deploy thousands of Korean People’s Army soldiers to fight against Ukraine, echoing the Kremlin’s propaganda about needing to oppose the “neo-Nazi” regime in Kyiv.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting

Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.

Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.

How Kim Jong Un’s latest speech justifies North Korean troop dispatch to Russia

Try unlimited accessOnly $1 for four weeks

Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most –

as selected by

One more step!

Trending

Recent Stories

About the Author

Anton Sokolin

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

Start your day with
the North Korea stories that matter most –