Kim paid public tribute to North Korean soldiers killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, part of an effort to cement the two countries’ strategic defense pact.

Propagandistic images have been recorded in a grand tribute to the North Korean soldiers who died in the war in Ukraine. The last time Kim Jong-un had been seen with tears in his eyes was in 2020, during the early months of the pandemic.

Photos of the leader were the first shared with North Koreans showing the country’s contributions to Russia’s war with Ukraine, with more deployments ahead.