Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Troops Who Committed Suicide in Ukraine War

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised the troops who committed suicide while battling Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region. North Korea has sent approximately 14,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukrainian troops in the Kursk area. According to officials from South Korea, Ukraine, and the West, the North Koreans have suffered heavy casualties, with more than 6,000 troops killed in the fighting. Increasing evidence, including intelligence reports and testimonies from defectors, indicates that North Korean soldiers also engaged in self-detonations or other forms of suicide rather than being captured by Ukrainian forces. In a speech addressed to Russian officials and bereaved families at a ceremony unveiling a monument honouring the North Korean troops, Kim mentioned for the first time the extent of their sacrifices. Kim hailed them as “heroes,” according to a transcript published by North Korea’s state media outlet, KCNA. “Not only the heroes who unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction and suicide to defend their great honour, but also those who fell while charging at the forefront of the battle,” Kim said, as quoted by Al Arabiya English on Wednesday (29/4/2026). Kim stated that the survivors are also patriots. “Those who groan in frustration for failing to fulfil their duties as soldiers rather than suffering the agony of their bodies shattered by bullets and bombs – they too can be called fighters and loyal patriots of the party,” he said. According to South Korean intelligence assessments, in return for sending troops and ammunition, Pyongyang has received economic assistance and military technology from Russia.