On Friday, North Korean state media published photos of leader Kim Jong Un kneeling before images of soldiers who lost their lives while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, as well as embracing an emotional veteran of the conflict.

The event took place at the headquarters of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, where Kim was seen giving out medals, laying down flowers, and comforting returning soldiers, whom the leadership celebrated as “heroes” for “sacrificing their youth and lives.”

According to South Korean and Western intelligence sources, North Korea sent over 10,000 troops to Russia in 2024, along with supplies of artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems. It was reported by Seoul that approximately 600 North Korean soldiers were killed and many others were injured.

Kim commended the soldiers “who came back home with great honor,” having survived “the hail of bullets and bombs during a life-and-death struggle in a foreign land,” as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The images depicted Kim adorning portraits of the deceased with medals and flowers, as well as embracing a soldier who buried his face in Kim’s chest.

KCNA noted that Kim personally bestowed the title of “DPRK Hero” upon commanding officers who “achieved remarkable feats” in their overseas missions. He also met with the families of the deceased and laid flowers at a memorial wall.

North Korea only acknowledged its troop deployment to Russia in April and admitted that some soldiers had died in battle. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the North Korean soldiers “heroic” in a correspondence to Kim, according to KCNA.

Meanwhile, Washington has accused Moscow of providing Pyongyang with advanced space and satellite technology in exchange for its assistance.