Kim Jong Un Hails Troops in Russia as Heroes, Offers No Exit Plan

News Summary

Kim Jong Un awarded commendations to North Korean troops deployed to Russia for the first time, praising them as “great heroes and patriots” while consoling bereaved families.

He spoke of a “victorious conclusion” to their overseas operations but did not reveal any withdrawal timeline.

State media also showed him placing Hero medals beside portraits of fallen soldiers and touching their images on the Workers’ Party memorial wall.

Commentary

This event underscores the Kim regime’s desperate efforts to appease both the military and civilians unsettled by the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.

Kim not only awarded commendations to the soldiers but also sought to console bereaved families, even embracing them and bowing in a rare display of humility.

Such gestures highlight the depth of unrest within North Korean society, which Kim attempts to contain through highly orchestrated political theater.

What stood out, however, was his omission of any withdrawal timeline, referring only to a “victorious conclusion” of the overseas operations.

As the conflict drags on, the sacrifice of more young North Korean soldiers appears inevitable. Despite the regime’s relentless propaganda and attempts to mask these costs through staged spectacles, there are clear limits to how long Kim Jong Un can contain the mounting toll of innocent lives.