Kim Jong Un Confirms Self‑Blasting Troops Policy
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- Kim Jong Un confirms a “self‑blasting” policy for North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine, urging them to use suicide tactics.
- North Korea unveils a memorial in Pyongyang honoring its troops killed in the Ukraine war, publicly acknowledging its casualties.
- Russia signs a “long‑term” military cooperation pact with North Korea, formalizing joint war efforts in Ukraine.
- North Korea fires its seventh missile of the year in April 2026, highlighting ongoing weapons development alongside its Ukraine involvement.
Why it matters: Ukraine loses at least 84 civilians, while Russia gains North Korean suicide troops, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region and prompting Western allies to expand aid over the next months.

