Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Soldiers for Suicide Tactics in Russia-Ukraine War

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised soldiers who chose suicide over capture while fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine in the Kursk region. In a speech at a memorial ceremony, Kim described such acts as heroic, according to state media transcripts.

The event marked the one-year anniversary of Russia's recapture of territory in Kursk. Kim highlighted soldiers who carried out self-detonation with grenades after being wounded or surrounded. He also honored those who survived but expressed frustration at not fulfilling their duties.

The memorial included a sculpture of North Korean and Russian soldiers and listed names of about 2,288 fallen troops.

This is the first time Kim has publicly acknowledged the policy requiring soldiers to avoid capture through suicide. Intelligence reports and defector testimonies had previously indicated such instructions for North Korean troops. Two captured North Korean soldiers in Ukrainian custody attempted suicide but failed due to injuries.

North Korea deployed an estimated 14,000 troops to support Russia in 2024, following Ukraine's counter-invasion into Kursk. More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers were killed in the fighting, according to South Korean and Ukrainian officials. Russia recaptured the area around Sudzha in spring 2025.

Key figures lost industrial assets in occupied regions like Donbas and Mariupol. Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's richest individual, saw his fortune halved from nearly $14 billion to $7 billion due to destruction and occupation of about 70 companies. Oligarchs' influence in politics and media has diminished under martial law and centralized news production.

Pro-Russian figures like Viktor Medvedchuk were arrested or exiled, while others such as Ihor Kolomoisky faced charges for fraud and money laundering. Dmytro Firtash remains imprisoned in Austria.

Some oligarchs aligned with the Ukrainian government by providing financial and material support. Akhmetov contributed around $368 million, including steel fortifications, anti-drone shields, and underground shelters for the military. Victor Pinchuk funded rehabilitation centers for wounded soldiers and mental health support.

The state took control of media holdings, leading Akhmetov to shut down his Media Group Ukraine. Anti-corruption advocates call for reforms to prevent oligarch resurgence post-war. Ukrainian officials, many born after 1991, embody a different approach compared to older Russian leaders like Vladimir Putin.

' The conflict has accelerated changes in Ukraine's power structures, sidelining traditional oligarchic influence.

Korea supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells and ballistic missiles in exchange for economic and military aid. Ukrainian forces captured Sudzha in summer 2024, marking the first foreign incursion into Russia since World War II. Human rights concerns arise over captured North Korean soldiers, as returning them to Pyongyang could endanger their lives.

The memorial ceremony underscored the military partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow.