Kim Jong Un calls North Korean soldiers who bombed Ukraine "heroes"

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has paid tribute to his soldiers who died in the Ukrainian conflict, especially those who were bombed to prevent them from falling into Ukrainian hands. In a speech broadcast on state television KCNA, Kim called the soldiers "heroes" who sacrificed their lives to protect the country's honor and loyalty.

South Korean intelligence agencies have reported that North Korean soldiers deployed to Ukraine were given strict instructions to commit suicide rather than be captured by Ukraine. According to the statements, anyone captured would be considered a traitor to the country. Kim said such selfless sacrifice “without expecting compensation” was a testament to the high level of loyalty of his troops.

South Korea says North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to help Russia in the battle to capture parts of the Kursk Bulge in Ukraine. More than 6,000 of them have died. The revelation came after South Korea's MBC showed two North Korean soldiers captured in the battle, one of whom said he regretted not committing suicide.

Although Russia and North Korea have publicly denied the death toll, the two countries have agreed to help each other in times of war. In June 2024, President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a military pact that said the two countries would stand together in the event of either being attacked by an enemy. Kim called it “the most powerful treaty his country has ever signed.”

In addition to sending troops, North Korea has also promised Russia thousands of workers to help rebuild occupied areas of Ukraine, including Kursk. This cooperation has increased since the start of the Ukrainian war in 2022, with North Korea also sending weapons and ammunition to Russia.

This special partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang continues to strain North Korea's relations with the West, especially the United States and South Korea. Analysts say Kim Jong Un is using the war as a way to demonstrate his country's military prowess and secure economic and military technology support from Russia. However, the praise for the soldiers who were bombed continues to raise questions about human rights and the dignity of soldiers on the battlefield.

In kinyarwanda

Kim Jong Un yise “intwari” abasirikare ba Koreya ya Ruguru biturikirizaho ibisasu muri Ukraine

Perezida wa Koreya ya Ruguru, Kim Jong Un, yashimiye abasirikare be bapfiriye ku rugamba rwa Ukraine, cyane cyane abiturikirijeho ibisasu kugira ngo batagwa mpiri mu maboko ya Ukraine. Mu ijambo ryanyujijwe kuri Televiziyo y’Igihugu KCNA, Kim yavuze ko abo basirikare ari “intwari” kuko batanze ubuzima bwabo mu rwego rwo kurinda icyubahiro cy’igihugu n’ubudahemuka bwabo.

Inzego z’ubutasi za Koreya y’Epfo zatangaje ko abasirikare ba Koreya ya Ruguru boherejwe muri Ukraine bafite amabwiriza asobanutse yo kwiyahura aho gufatwa mpiri na Ukraine. Nk’uko ibyo bitangazo bibivuga, ufatwa mpiri aba afatwa nk’umugambanyi w’Igihugu. Kim yavuze ko ubwitange nk’ubwo “budategereje indishyi” ari bwo bugaragaza ubudahemuka buhanitse bw’ingabo ze.

Koreya y’Epfo ivuga ko Koreya ya Ruguru yohereje abasirikare bagera ku 15,000 gufasha u Burusiya mu ntambara yo kwigarurira ibice byo mu Burengerazuba bwa Kursk muri Ukraine. Muri bo abarenga 6,000 bamaze gupfa. Ibi byagaragaye nyuma y’uko MBC ya Koreya y’Epfo yerekanye abasirikare babiri ba Koreya ya Ruguru bafatiwe ku rugamba, umwe muri bo avuga ko yicuza kuba atariyahuye.

Nubwo u Burusiya na Koreya ya Ruguru bidemeza ku mugaragaro imibare y’abapfuye, ibihugu byombi byemera ko bifashanya mu ntambara. Muri Kamena 2024, Perezida Vladimir Putin na Kim Jong Un basinyanye amasezerano y’ingabo avuga ko ibihugu byombi bizafatanya mu gihe kimwe muri byo gitewe n’umwanzi. Kim yayise “amasezerano akomeye kurusha andi yose igihugu cye cyasinyanye.”

Usibye kohereza abasirikare, Koreya ya Ruguru yanasezeranyije u Burusiya kuzabuha ibihumbi by’abakozi bo gufasha kubaka uduce twa Ukraine twigaruriwe, harimo na Kursk. Ubu bufatanye bwiyongereye kuva intambara ya Ukraine yatangira mu 2022, aho Koreya ya Ruguru imaze kohereza kandi ibikoresho by’intwaro n’amasasu mu Burusiya.

Ubu bufatanye bwihariye hagati ya Moscou na Pyongyang bukomeje gushyira igitutu ku mubano wa Koreya ya Ruguru n’iburengerazuba, cyane cyane Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika na Koreya y’Epfo. Abasesenguzi bavuga ko Kim Jong Un akoresha iyi ntambara nka bumwe mu buryo bwo kwerekana ubushobozi bwa gisirikare bw’igihugu cye no kubona inkunga y’ubukungu n’ikoranabuhanga bya gisirikare biturutse mu Burusiya. Icyakora, gushimira abasirikare biturikirijeho ibisasu bikomeje gutera impaka ku bijyanye n’uburenganzira bwa muntu n’icyubahiro cy’abasirikare ku rugamba.