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70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

N. Korean leader congratulates Russian president with WWII Victory Day

PYONGYANG, May 9. /TASS/. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has congratulated the people of Russia with the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in WWII saying his country highly valued "heroic feats of the Russian people."

In his congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un said: "It has been 70 years since the great victory over fascism; however, heroic feats of the Russian people, who without any hesitation dedicated their lives for the sake of peace and safety of humankind, are still fulgent."

"We highly value heroic feats of the Russian people," the North Korean leader said adding he was confident that "traditionally friendly relations between the two countries will be getting stronger as the two nations want it."

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North Korean leader awarded with medal in honor of 70th anniversary of Victory Day

Kim Jong-un also wished Putin and the people of Russia great success "in the formation of powerful Russia."

The North Korean leader was awarded on Friday with a commemorative medal in honor of 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

At a solemn event in the North Korean capital, Russia’s Ambassador to Pyongyang Alexander Matsegora presented the medal to Chairman of the Standing Committee of the North Korean Supreme People’s Assembly Yang Hyong-sup, who later handed it over to the North Korean leader.

According to the accompanying documents to the medal, Kim Jong-un was awarded "for contribution to preparations for celebrating the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and personal control over preservation and maintenance of monuments dedicated to the Soviet army."

Commemorative events in North Korea on Saturday include laying of wreaths to the Liberation monument erected in the country’s capital of Pyongyang after the Red Army defeated Japan’s Kwantung Army on the Korean Peninsula in 1945.

There are monuments to Soviet soldiers, who sacrificed their lives to free Korea, in Chongjin, Haeju, Nampo, Sinuiju, Wonsan, Hamhung and Rason.

Russian President Putin invited Kim Jong-un to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and the North Korean leader accepted it. However, on April 30 Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Kim Jong-un declined the invitation citing affairs in his country he had to attend to.

On Friday, North Korean KCNA news agency reported that Kim Jong-un oversaw a ballistic missile test fire from submerged submarine.

The news agency said the North Korean hailed the missile launch as a success and compared the test fire with "the launch of a space satellite.".

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70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

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