It has been revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded North Korean generals who participated in the fighting against Ukraine.
Medianews.az reports that the matter concerns one of the commanders of a group of North Korean soldiers fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine last December in the Kursk region.
It turns out that an official ceremony was also held in Moscow to award the generals. However, no information about this has been disseminated until now.
The fact that the generals were awarded became known from photographs exhibited in a memorial museum opened in Pyongyang by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in April of this year. Russian officials also attended the opening of the museum.
During the opening, Kim Jong Un showed photos taken at the moment when Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov presented Putin's awards to North Korean soldiers.
According to experts analyzing the report broadcast by North Korea Central Television (KCTV) on April 27 covering the opening ceremony, the awarding ceremony took place on December 3, 2025, in Moscow.
The photos are captioned: “Ceremony of presenting state awards of the Russian Federation to commanders and soldiers of the foreign operational division of the Korean People's Army who participated in the operation for the liberation of the Kursk region. December 3, 2025.”
The awards presented are also exhibited under the pictures. It is stated that at least five Korean generals received the awards. It is not clear from the photos exactly who was decorated. However, experts say that among them could be the five generals Putin met with during the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9, 2025.
Defense Minister Andrey Belousov also awarded 10 Korean soldiers who distinguished themselves in fighting against Ukrainian forces during his visit to Pyongyang in April.
Near the museum, memorial plaques engraved with the names of approximately 2,300 fallen North Korean soldiers have been placed.
Last year, when Ukraine took control of part of the Kursk region, Kim Jong Un sent about 11,000 soldiers to assist Putin. After the area was retaken, a painting exhibition dedicated to North Korean soldiers who participated in those battles was also organized in Moscow.