Russia plans to erect a monument to North Korean soldiers

On March 24, 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced plans to erect a monument to North Korean soldiers on the territory of the Russian Federation. 

The Moscow Times reports on this.

According to him, this gesture is a response to the unveiling of a similar monument in Pyongyang and symbolizes the practical implementation of the agreement on comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Earlier, Kursk Region Governor Alexander Khinshtein confirmed that a monument to the “comrades-in-arms” of Russia and North Korea would be erected in the region with the support of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The deployment of foreign troops took place against the backdrop of hostilities in the Kursk region, where DPRK soldiers fought on the side of Russia against the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the South Korean Institute for National Security Strategy, since October 2024, Pyongyang has sent at least four military contingents to Russia, totaling more than 20,000 personnel. Analysts estimate that North Korea could have received up to $14.4 billion from Moscow for the soldiers’ participation in the war and the supply of weapons.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un visited a memorial museum being built in honor of North Korean soldiers sent to support Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Prior to this, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, along with his daughter Kim Ju-ae, observed the testing of strategic cruise missiles launched from a warship. 

Additionally, North Korea sharply criticized the U.S. and Israel over the strikes on Iran.