The Russian embassy in Pyongyang hosted a reception at Yanggakdo International Hotel on the evening of May 8 on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Present there at invitation were Pak Jong Chon, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, Choe Son Hui, foreign minister of the DPRK, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence, and other senior Party and government officials and officials of ministries, national agencies and armed forces organs.

Also invited there were members of the diplomatic corps in the DPRK and leading members of the Belarus government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko.

Present there were Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, Alexei Bartusov, military attache of the Russian embassy, and its staff members.

Alexandr Matsegora made a speech at the reception.

Referring to the historic significance of the victory in the Great Patriotic War that defeated fascism, he said that many service personnel and people of Russia sacrificed their lives for this victory.

Criticizing the West for its moves to deny the history of the Second World War, revive Nazism and bring a strategic defeat to Russia, he noted that Russia can never be defeated in the future, too, as it could not be in the past.

He said that Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin highly appreciated the bravery, self-sacrificing spirit and fighting efficiency of the DPRK comrades-in-arms who played a very great role in the operation to liberate the Kursk area, expressing deep thanks to Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, the DPRK leadership and its people.

The liberated cities, villages and squares in which beautiful monuments will be built to the memory of heroes of the DPRK who performed feats to be engraved upon the hearts of the Russian people would be named after them, he said, adding that the operation for liberating the Kursk area proved that the Russian Federation and the DPRK are the comprehensive strategic partners and allies.

Then No Kwang Chol made a speech.

He paid high tribute to the victorious wartime generations who had brought great victory and glory to Russia, sending a militant salute to the officers and men of the Russian army who are fighting by devoting their all to the sacred war to defend the dignity of the country and well-being of the people and realize international justice.

Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War is a world event which not only defended the dignity and honour of the country and saved mankind from the fate of destruction, but also made a great contribution to making the trend towards freedom and peace prevail on the planet, he said.

He noted that the excellent tradition of the DPRK-Russia friendship with long historical roots is now developing day by day on a remarkably high level, fully demonstrating the invincibility and vitality peculiar to it under the special care of the top leaders of the two countries.

Expressing belief that the Russian army and people would win victory again this year, the "year of defenders of the country", he stressed that the KPA would invariably support the Russian army's action to defend the national sovereignty and security and the territorial integrity of the country in the future, too.

The participants toasted the health of Comrade Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, and Comrade Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, and the great victory.