North Korea Showcases Captured Western Weapons From Ukraine in New War Museum

North Korea on April 26 unveiled a new state museum in Pyongyang showcasing what it claims are captured weapons used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the facility—described as the “Memorial Museum of Overseas Military Operations”—features a range of Western-supplied armored vehicles and equipment allegedly seized during Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Items on display reportedly include Leopard 2A4 and M1A1 Abrams tanks, German Marder infantry fighting vehicles, French AMX-10RC reconnaissance vehicles, French VAB armored personnel carriers, and Turkish-made Kirpi mine-resistant vehicles.

KCNA reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the opening ceremony alongside senior officials and a Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin was also present, according to Russian and North Korean state media reports.

The event was held at a broader memorial complex dedicated to North Korean troops involved in what Pyongyang describes as “overseas military operations,” including deployments linked to Russia’s war.

According to KCNA, the ceremony was timed to coincide with what North Korean authorities described as the “complete liberation” of areas in Russia’s Kursk region previously held by Ukrainian forces.

During the event, Kim met with commanders of North Korean units deployed abroad. In a statement cited by KCNA, he said North Korean and Russian forces “fought shoulder to shoulder in the same trench for peace.” The display of alleged captured Western equipment could not be independently verified.

Ukrainian officials confirmed the first combat engagements involving North Korean units in November 2024. In January 2025, Ukrainian forces reported capturing North Korean soldiers for the first time.

Russia publicly acknowledged the involvement of North Korean forces in April 2025. During a briefing to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov cited the role of North Korean troops in fighting in border areas of the Kursk region.

North Korea unveiled a new residential district in Pyongyang for families of soldiers killed during overseas military operations, according to KCNA and reporting by Reuters, in what analysts view as a rare public acknowledgment of the country’s involvement alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine.

The opening of the museum dedicated to “overseas military operations,” along with exhibits of alleged captured Ukrainian equipment, reflects a broader effort by Pyongyang to formalize and publicly frame its participation in the war.

Earlier, Russia sharply increased the number of visas issued to North Korean citizens, granting 36,413 in 2025—nearly four times more than in 2024. The vast majority were student visas, while entries for business and work purposes also rose, indicating expanding ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.

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