North Korean troops take part in Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow for the first time, according to footage and reporting from multiple outlets. Russia’s TASS news agency releases video showing North Korean soldiers marching in formation through Red Square. The troops carry the North Korean national flag and a banner for Russia’s Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. In the footage, North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol and other officials applaud as the unit appears during the parade. TASS reports this is the first instance of North Korean soldiers marching alongside Russian troops in the Moscow event.
The deployment follows the widening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The sources connect the participation to earlier North Korean troop deployments to support Russia, which are linked to a strategic partnership agreement signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024. Separately on the day, Kim sends a congratulatory message to Putin for Russia’s Victory Day, reaffirming their ties, according to the reporting.
