Speaker of the Russian parliament is visiting North Korea to commemorate Pyongyang’s troop deployment in the Ukraine conflict

The speaker of Russia’s parliament, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, arrived in North Korea on Saturday to participate in an event commemorating Pyongyang’s deployment of troops to assist Moscow in the Ukraine conflict, according to Tass news agency.

Jo Yong-won, a close political confidant to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the head of the Supreme People’s Assembly, warmly welcomed Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s Duma, according to the Russian news agency Tass. Jo serves as a close political confidant to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and holds the position of head of the Supreme People’s Assembly.

North Korea has dispatched approximately 14,000 troops to collaborate with Russian forces in the conflict against Ukraine. According to officials from South Korea, Ukraine, and Western nations, over 6,000 of them have lost their lives.

North Korea is anticipated to conduct a ceremony to commemorate the “liberation of Kursk,” one year after Moscow announced that the region had been reclaimed from Ukraine.

In June 2024, Kim from North Korea and Putin convened and formalized a comprehensive strategic treaty that encompasses a mutual defense pact. The two countries have swiftly established diplomatic and military connections since 2023, including joint military exercises and high-level diplomatic meetings to strengthen their alliance.