North Korean troops march in Russia's Victory Day parade for 1st time

Moscow, May 10
North Korean troops marched in Russia's Victory Day military parade held in Moscow, according to footage released by Russia's Tass news agency, in a show of the growing military ties between the two nations.

In footage posted on Tass' social media accounts, North Korean soldiers were seen marching in formation through Moscow's Red Square while carrying the North Korean national flag and a banner marking Russia's Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II, reports Yonhap news agency.

As the North Korean troops appeared in Red Square, North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol and other officials applauded and welcomed them.

It marked the first time North Korean soldiers had marched alongside Russian troops in the annual Victory Day parade, Tass reported.

Pyongyang deployed around 15,000 combat troops to support Russia in the war after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a strategic partnership treaty in June 2024.

Earlier in the day, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Russia's Victory Day celebration, reaffirming Pyongyang's commitment to prioritising and deepening ties with Moscow, state media reported Saturday.

Kim extended his "sincerest congratulations" on the occasion of the 81st Victory Day and expressed satisfaction with the current "brilliant history of independence, dignity, peace and prosperity" shared by the two countries, according to the North's state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Reaffirming the stand of the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to give top priority to and steadily develop the alliance-like comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries, I affirm once again that we will always faithfully fulfil the obligations under the inter-state treaty between the DPRK and Russia," Kim said, using the North's official name.