Kim Jong Un Honours Returning North Korean Troops Deployed to Russia Mission
London, UK – December 13, 2025
A significant and revealing ceremony in Pyongyang confirmed the deployment and casualty count of North Korean Troops Deployed to Russia Mission, adding a stark, human element to the deepening military cooperation between the two nations amid the Ukraine conflict.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally presided over a massive welcoming ceremony for the returning 528th Engineering Regiment, publicly acknowledging their mission to clear landmines in Russia’s Kursk region.
This report, prepared with the analytical depth expected by the CJ Global editorial team, dissects the implications of this unprecedented military assistance.
Headline Points
Deployment Confirmation:
North Korean state media officially acknowledged the deployment of the “528th Engineering Regiment” to the Kursk region of Russia for a mine clearance mission during the war with Ukraine.
Casualties Acknowledged:
Leader Kim Jong Un recognized the “precious sacrifices” of nine soldiers who were killed during the 120-day deployment, posthumously honoring them with the title “Hero of the Republic.”
Size and Duration:
Around 1,000 engineer troops were sent for a mission that lasted approximately four months, supporting Russian forces in de-mining areas where Ukrainian soldiers had planted mines.
Strategic Message:
Observers believe the public acknowledgment of casualties and sacrifices is a calculated move by Pyongyang to signal to Moscow that it expects continued and perhaps increased compensation and support in return for its alliance.
Wider Support:
This deployment follows earlier reports of North Korea dispatching an estimated 15,000 combat troops to support the Russian war effort in Ukraine.
An Open Acknowledgment of Overseas Combat Role
For the first time, North Korea has openly and ceremoniously acknowledged the deployment of its uniformed military personnel to the conflict zone in Ukraine.
The welcoming ceremony, held at the April 25 Cultural Palace in Pyongyang, was a major, large-scale event attended by high-ranking political and military leaders, underscoring the political importance of the mission.
The emotional core of the ceremony was the honoring of nine soldiers who died during the deployment, confirming the direct human cost of North Korea’s military assistance to Russia.
According to reports from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the “528th Engineering Regiment” was deployed in early August 2025, spending approximately 120 days in the field.
Their mission was explicitly defined as engineering duties, specifically the removal of landmines planted by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.
Leader Kim Jong Un delivered a speech praising the regiment’s “remarkable combat results” and their willingness to deploy to the “dangerous battleground.”
The soldiers were decorated with the First-Class Order of Freedom and Independence, while the fallen nine were posthumously given the title “Hero of the Republic.”
The open disclosure of this operation is highly unusual for the secretive regime. While intelligence agencies had previously reported the dispatch of North Korean troops to aid Russia, Pyongyang had remained silent. This public confirmation, along with the recognition of sacrifices, carries a potent strategic message.
Compensation and the Deepening Alliance
Analysts suggest that the public emphasis on the sacrifices made is not merely for internal unity but is a deliberate, indirect message to the Kremlin.
By highlighting the noble blood and precious sacrifices of its troops, Pyongyang appears to be cementing the narrative that it is a committed wartime ally and, therefore, expects commensurate compensation.
This is likely aimed at ensuring Russia continues to provide North Korea with much-needed technology, economic support, and military assistance, strengthening a burgeoning anti-Western axis.
This engineering troop deployment must be viewed in the context of previous, yet unconfirmed, reports that North Korea has already dispatched up to 15,000 combat troops to support Russian forces.
The cumulative effect of these deployments, alongside the continuous provision of massive quantities of artillery shells and ballistic missiles, demonstrates the profound and rapidly evolving nature of the Pyongyang-Moscow relationship.
The alliance is increasingly operational, moving beyond mere weapons transactions to involve the sharing of human capital and military expertise in a live conflict zone.
This development presents a serious challenge to the existing global security framework, as North Korea uses the conflict to secure vital resources and technology while Russia gains access to a large, dedicated labor and combat force, prolonging a war that the European Union is simultaneously attempting to financially constrain.
