Russia Broadcasts North Korean Military Activities... Promotes North Korea-Russia Friendly Relations

North Korean Troops Deployed to Kursk Sing "Katyusha"
Propaganda Video Aims to Glorify Wartime Alliance

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on May 11 (local time), Russia has recently been promoting its friendly relations with North Korea by exposing footage of North Korean military activities to major media outlets. This move is interpreted as an attempt by Russia to demonstrate to the United States and other Western countries that it has steadfast allies.

According to the report, Russian state television aired footage on its news program showing North Korean soldiers deployed to Kursk, a border region in southwestern Russia, singing a Russian song, "Katyusha," in translation.

WSJ stated, "This scene is part of a new propaganda video created to glorify the wartime alliance that North Korea and Russia have recently strengthened," adding, "This propaganda material was featured prominently on Russia's popular news programs, and also included scenes of North Korean soldiers firing shotguns, running through trenches, and throwing grenades."

According to WSJ, the Russian side has been providing soy sauce, red pepper powder, and tofu in the meals for North Korean troops, and North Korean soldiers interviewed said they spend their time watching Russian movies on their mobile phones.

Russian state media Rossiyskaya Gazeta featured a video showing a Russian soldier and a North Korean soldier each holding the Russian and Soviet flags, planting them in the ground, and then embracing each other.

Additionally, Russian news agency TASS released footage of North Korean soldiers running across fields and using shotguns and grenade launchers. In the video, a North Korean commander shouted, "We go to the end!"

Experts believe that most of the footage depicting North Korean soldiers as competent and courageous appears to be staged.

Chris Monday, a professor at Dongseo University and a Russia expert, told WSJ, "This is a calculated campaign to portray North Koreans as Russia's 'war brothers,' whose military support will not waver."

Since last year, North Korea has deployed approximately 15,000 troops to Russia in support of the war in Ukraine. Russia and North Korea had concealed this fact for several months, but recently, both countries have been openly presenting their wartime alliance, emphasizing their solid cooperation in contrast to the discord and conflict described by Ukraine and its allies.

WSJ reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to showcase Russia's steadfast allies to the United States and other Western countries by publicly revealing North Korea's troop deployment. He further emphasized this message during the "Victory Day" military parade held in Moscow on May 9. Victory Day is an event commemorating Russia's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. During the parade, senior North Korean military officers appeared at the forefront, and President Putin was seen shaking hands and embracing them.