North Korea honors over 100 dead troops from Ukraine war at Pyongyang ceremony



News North Korea honors over 100 dead troops from Ukraine war at Pyongyang ceremony Kim Jong Un oversees event celebrating fallen ‘heroes,’ boasting that they showcased DPRK military might in Russia Colin Zwirko \| Kristen Talman \| Seung-Yeon Chung August 22, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Jong Un kneels in front of a memorial wall dedicated to fallen soldiers from Russia's war in Ukraine. \| Image: Rodong Sinmun (Aug. 22, 2025) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a ceremony for commanders and fallen soldiers who fought in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to state media on Friday, confirming for the first time that over 100 soldiers died in the war. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the North Korean leader praised the troops, who returned to Pyongyang this week, calling them “heroes who brought glory to the nation” in a speech delivered Thursday. Kim’s speech, and state media, did not explicitly mention Russia or Ukraine, instead referring to the “liberation of Kursk territory” and the “Korean © 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 & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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North Korea honors over 100 dead troops from Ukraine war at Pyongyang ceremony

Kim Jong Un oversees event celebrating fallen ‘heroes,’ boasting that they showcased DPRK military might in Russia

Colin Zwirko | Kristen Talman | Seung-Yeon Chung August 22, 2025

North Korea honors over 100 dead troops from Ukraine war at Pyongyang ceremony

Kim Jong Un kneels in front of a memorial wall dedicated to fallen soldiers from Russia's war in Ukraine. | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Aug. 22, 2025)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a ceremony for commanders and fallen soldiers who fought in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to state media on Friday, confirming for the first time that over 100 soldiers died in the war.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the North Korean leader praised the troops, who returned to Pyongyang this week, calling them “heroes who brought glory to the nation” in a speech delivered Thursday.

Kim’s speech, and state media, did not explicitly mention Russia or Ukraine, instead referring to the “liberation of Kursk territory” and the “Korean

About the Authors

Colin Zwirko

Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. He joined the company in 2018 after receiving a master's degree in international security and foreign policy from South Korea's Yonsei University. Follow him on Bluesky / Twitter.

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Kristen Talman

Kristen Talman is an editor at NK News. She previously worked as a journalist at the Financial Times, Morning Brew and Al-Monitor.

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Seung-Yeon Chung

Seung-Yeon Chung is a state media specialist at NK News. She previously worked in the Department of Unification and Foreign Ministry at Korean Broadcast System (KBS).

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