The Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK and the Cabinet of the DPRK on May 9 sent a joint congratulatory message to the leadership of the Russian Federation and all the Russian people.

The joint congratulatory message reads:

Moscow

To the leadership of the Russian Federation and all the Russian people that are greeting the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War

The leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and all the Korean people extend the most heartfelt congratulations to the leadership and all the people of the Russian Federation on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of the fraternal Russian Federation.

We pay a great tribute to the generation of victors who devoted without hesitation all their precious things to winning the sacred war for the destiny of their motherland and the future of mankind, and extend a sincere militant salute to the officers and soldiers of the Russian armed forces who are writing a new page of defending the sovereign rights, security interests and justice of their state at the cost of their blood even at this very moment.

The victory in the Great Patriotic War holds the most prominent position in the history of the Russian people and the history of human liberation.

The holiday of the sacred liberators and honourable victors who defeated the aggressor forces that emerged as the most reactionary and barbarous entity on earth and brought freedom and peace to hundreds of millions of people in the world is a political and military event of weighty significance not only for the present and future of Russia but also for the destiny and future of the whole mankind.

With their unyielding and self-sacrificing struggle amid unimaginable ordeals and difficulties, the brave Soviet army and people smashed ambition for world domination of the fascist cliques, who had been driving mankind to death and ruin, thus putting the trend of history to rights.

These exploits and glory shining in history are sacred and absolute ones that no one can deny.

The despicable distortion of history, aimed at weakening the decisive role of the Red Army in winning the great victory and diminishing the Soviet people’s historic contribution to the world, can never be tolerated.

Our people and progressive humankind are well aware that tens of millions of sons and daughters of Russia dedicated their youth and lives to this devastating war and that the Russian people paid dearly to win the precious victory.

History vividly remembers who really put the flag of victory on the citadel of Nazism and who saved mankind from the miserable war, bloodshed and the fate of slavery.

This truth of history will remain eternal and unchanged in the future, too, as it was in the past and is at present.

Ultra-nationalism, obsessed with the hatred for other nations and the greed for conquest, can never prevail over patriotism full of fervent love for one’s own country and the will to defend it. This immutable truth is being proved once again in today’s special military operations the Russian army and people are conducting to check the revival of fascism.

On the battlefields where different ideologies, ideals, aspirations and aims clash violently, the Russian army and people are achieving strategic victory on the strength of ardent patriotism and matchless heroism. Their victory is steadily carrying on the fame and glory of 80 years ago to today and clearly demonstrating the mightiness of Russia and the validity of its cause.

Our Party, government and people are convinced that powerful Russia, their closest fraternal country and staunch ally, will fulfill its important mission and role in the struggle for permanently maintaining the dignity and honour of the victor nation and defending international justice and peace.

The WPK and the government of the DPRK extend warm congratulations once again to the leadership and people of the Russian Federation, who are most proudly and significantly celebrating the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War with the boundless dignity of being victors.

May 9 is a holiday common to the peoples of the DPRK and Russia.

With the completion of the great historic cause of national liberation, our country emerged in the international arena as a full-fledged independent and sovereign state and is striving to build a prosperous and powerful socialist state. The valuable successes gained in this course are linked with the traditions of militant comradeship and friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries.

The two countries successfully concluded the joint operations to liberate the Kursk region of Russia, which was temporarily occupied by the neo-Nazi forces of Ukraine, in accordance with international law and the provisions and spirit of the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, thus defending the territorial sovereignty of the Russian Federation and boosting the unbreakable relations of comrades-in-arms and alliance to a higher level.

The DPRK-Russia alliance was pioneered in the struggle to accomplish the common cause of achieving people’s freedom and liberation and is demonstrating its invincible might in the sacred war to repel the invasion by neo-Nazism. This is a valuable asset and source of strength for the two governments, armies and peoples.

Unshakable is our stand to steadily carry forward the comprehensive heyday of DPRK-Russia relations on the strength of the unity of the ennobling ideals and indomitable will.

The WPK, the government of the DPRK and the Korean people are invariably committed to the spirit of and their duty to the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the DPRK and Russia, and will strongly support and encourage the Russian government and people in their cause of defending the sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity of the state.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will always be on the side of Russia, which is fighting and winning victory.

May eternal glory be with our brothers and friends!

Long live the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War!

Long live the invincible DPRK-Russia friendship!

Central Committee of WPK

State Affairs Commission of DPRK

Standing Committee of Supreme People’s Assembly of DPRK

Cabinet of DPRK

May 9, 2025

Pyongyang