Overview
- State media said Kim presided over a Pyongyang ceremony for the 528th Engineer Regiment after a 120‑day deployment in Russia’s Kursk region.
- KCNA reported nine fatalities from the mission; the unit received the Order of Freedom and Independence and the fallen were named Heroes of the DPRK.
- Kim praised the regiment’s mine‑clearing and combat engineering under fire, calling their conduct a model of loyalty and discipline.
- The ceremony followed a three‑day party plenary where Kim vowed to root out “evil” among officials and touted defense modernization as on the right track, with preparations under way for the Ninth Party Congress in early 2026.
- External assessments say North Korea has sent thousands of personnel to assist Russia, with casualty estimates ranging from at least 600 to more than 6,000, and analysts assess Pyongyang is receiving technology, aid, and supplies in return.