MOSCOW – Russia’s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov landed in North Korea on April 26, marking the second high-level Moscow visit to Pyongyang in days, as the isolated nation honors its troops killed in Ukraine.
North Korean state media KCNA earlier reported the arrival of Russia’s State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, who will join the unveiling of a new memorial for North Korean fighters who perished supporting Russia’s war effort. Belousov plans meetings with Pyongyang’s top leaders and military brass, plus participation in ceremonial events, according to Russia’s defence ministry.
In a related gesture, President Vladimir Putin dispatched a telegram to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un congratulating the memorial’s launch. Putin expressed gratitude for North Korea’s aid in thwarting a significant Ukrainian advance into Russia’s western Kursk region last year, and voiced optimism about deepening their strategic alliance.
The leaders cemented ties with a comprehensive strategic treaty in June 2024, including a mutual defence clause. Diplomatic and military cooperation between the two has surged since 2023.