Kim Jong Un has offered his most explicit justification yet for North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war, while deepening ties with Moscow. Speaking at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Victory Day, he echoed Russian narratives about opposing a “neo-Nazi” regime in Kyiv. More importantly, Kim Jong Un linked Ukraine war to Korean security concerns, tying Russia’s conflict to South Korea’s military posture. He declared readiness to send more troops to the front and expected reciprocal support from Moscow. The speech marked a rare public admission of North Korea’s combat role abroad.
Though Kim skipped the Red Square parade in Moscow, he made no attempt to hide his admiration for Russia’s wartime symbolism. He praised the 1945 Soviet victory over Nazi Germany as essential to Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule. Furthermore, he urged the world not to forget Soviet sacrifices at key battles like Kursk and Stalingrad. Kim described May 9 as a turning point in Asian history, linking it directly to Korea’s August 15 liberation. He used this framing to draw parallels between past fascism and current Western-backed threats.
Kim Jong Un links Ukraine war to Korean security again by portraying South Korea as a reckless agent of U.S. aggression. He called South Korean forces the “most faithful lackeys” of Washington and warned of their “contagious recklessness.” According to Kim, Ukraine’s defiance inspired Seoul’s boldness, which now demands a stern regional response. He claimed North Korea’s decision to send soldiers to Kursk deterred further Western provocation. He then promised to deploy additional troops if Russia faced another Western-backed assault.
This message served not just Russia, but North Korea’s domestic audience, who rarely hear direct admissions of overseas military activity. Kim painted the deployed DPRK forces as heroes defending global justice and Asian sovereignty. He described them as “supreme representatives of honour” for fighting in Kursk as if defending Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un links Ukraine war to Korean security for the third time by presenting it as part of a broader mission against Western hegemony. He insisted Moscow and Pyongyang now stood together in shaping a “multipolar world.”
Throughout the speech, Kim emphasized his personal friendship with Putin and stressed that bilateral ties had returned to Cold War strength. He praised Russia’s leadership and called their strategic agreement a stabilizing force on the Korean Peninsula. Kim suggested future support could include expanded trade, overseas workers, and potentially further military deployments. He framed the alliance as rooted in history and confirmed by shared sacrifice in present conflict. The remarks also implied long-term partnership beyond the end of the Ukraine war.
Though North Korean troops did not march in Red Square, their role in combat received praise from both leaders. Putin, speaking later, thanked DPRK special forces for their conduct in Kursk, calling them professional and disciplined. Russian media have even floated the idea of deploying these units further into Ukraine if peace talks collapse. Meanwhile, Kim continues to shape a narrative that justifies these sacrifices for his citizens. In his eyes, North Korea fights not for Russia, but for its own survival against a spreading threat.
