Viaceslav Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma, thanked Kim Jong Un for the military assistance provided in the Kursk region, in the context of the war with Ukraine.

Viaceslav Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma of Russia, made a visit to Pyongyang, where he thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for 'liberating the Kursk region' in the context of the war with Ukraine. Volodin emphasized the contribution of North Korean soldiers, who were deployed in support of Russian forces in the border area with Ukraine, where the Ukrainian army gained territory between August 2024 and spring 2025.

Estimates from South Korea indicate that approximately 2000 North Korean soldiers have died in the conflict, and those who were captured were trained to commit suicide to avoid captivity. The Russian delegation attended the inauguration of a memorial complex dedicated to the North Korean soldiers who fell in the war. In exchange for military aid, Russia provided North Korea with financial, energy, and technological assistance. Additionally, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in Pyongyang for discussions with North Korean officials.