North Korea is set to send troops to Russia’s annual military parade commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK, which cited unnamed Russian sources.
The Victory Day parade, held on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9, is expected to include dozens of North Korean military personnel, marking their first-ever participation in Russia’s World War II commemorative events, NHK reported.
In November, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited Pyongyang and extended an invitation for North Korean military units to join Moscow’s 80th Victory Day celebrations.
Belousov announced Wednesday that military personnel from 19 countries had been invited to the parade, with 10 confirming their participation. Seven of these nations are former Soviet republics, he noted.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, ties between Russia and North Korea have grown stronger politically, militarily, and culturally. During a landmark visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea in June, he and leader Kim Jong Un signed a significant defense agreement.
The United States and South Korea have accused North Korea of deploying over 10,000 troops to support Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. While Kyiv recently claimed to have captured North Korean soldiers, the Kremlin has not confirmed or denied these allegations.
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