The embassy of the Russian Federation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave a reception at the Yanggakdo International Hotel on the evening of the 8th on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of victory in the great patriotic war of Russia.

Invited to the reception were Pak Jong Chon, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Choe Son Hui, Foreign Minister of the DPRK, No Kwang Chol, Minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and other senior officials of the Party and the government and officials of the ministries, national institutions and armed forces organs.

Present there on invitation were members of the foreign diplomatic corps in the DPRK and leading members of the government delegation of the Republic of Belarus led by Vice-Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko.

Also on hand were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Alexandr Matsegora, Defence Attache Aleksei Bartusov and other staff members of the embassy of the Russian Federation.

Addressing the reception, Alexandr Matsegora mentioned the historic significance of victory in the great patriotic war which annihilated fascism and denounced the West for its moves to deny the history of the Second World War, revive Nazism and inflict strategic defeat on Russia.

He said Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin highly appreciated the bravery, self-sacrificing spirit and fighting efficiency of the Korean comrades-in-arms who played a very big role in the operations for liberating the Kursk area and expressed deep thanks to Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs of the DPRK, and the Korean leadership and people.

The liberated cities, villages and squares will be named after the Korean heroes, where beautiful monuments will be erected in memory of them who performed feats to be etched in the hearts of the Russian people forever, he said and stressed that the operations for liberating the Kursk area proved that the Russian Federation and the DPRK are allies in comprehensive strategic partnership.

No Kwang Chol, in his speech, paid noble respects to the victorious wartime generation that brought great victory and glorious day to Russia and sent a militant salute to the officers and men of the Russian army who are devoting everything to the sacred war for defending the dignity of the country and the well-being of the people and realizing the international justice.

He said the wonderful tradition of the DPRK-Russia friendship with a long historical root is developing day by day on an extraordinarily high level, fully displaying its peculiar invincibility and vitality amid special concern of the top leaders of the two countries today.

He expressed the belief that the Russian army and people will bring about another victory this year, the "year of defenders of the country", and stressed that the Korean People's Army will invariably support and encourage the action of the Russian army to safeguard the national sovereignty and security and the territorial integrity in the future, too.