Kim Jong Un Praises North Korean Soldiers Who Committed Suicide to Avoid Capture in Ukraine

(Patria) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised soldiers who committed suicide while fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, Reuters reported.

North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 soldiers to fight against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.

South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western officials have said that North Korean soldiers have suffered heavy losses, with more than 6,000 killed in combat.

Increasing evidence, including intelligence reports and defector testimonies, indicates that North Korean soldiers resorted to self-detonation or other forms of suicide rather than be captured.

In a speech addressing Russian officials and the families of the deceased at a ceremony marking the completion of a monument in honor of North Korean soldiers, Kim mentioned for the first time the lengths they went to, praising them as "heroes," according to a transcript released by North Korean state media KCNA on Monday.

"Not only are those who unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction and suicide to defend great honor heroes, but also those who fell while charging on the front lines of assault battles," he said.

Kim said that even those who survived were patriots.

"Those who writhed in frustration for failing to fulfill their duty as soldiers, instead of suffering in agony with their bodies torn by bullets and shells – we can also call them loyal warriors and patriots of the party," he said.

According to estimates by South Korean intelligence services, Pyongyang has received economic and military-technical assistance from Russia.