North Korea and Russia are moving to consolidate their military ties at a time of deepening global instability, with both sides using the Ukraine war as a symbol of their unwavering alliance.

Sunday’s unveiling of a memorial museum in Pyongyang for North Korean soldiers killed in the war is also a move by the two countries to be in lockstep over their anti-West stance, according to observers.

The partnership stemmed from their converging needs – Russia’s demand for manpower and materiel, and North Korea’s pursuit of military and technological advancement under the cover of wartime cooperation, they said.

Towards this end, Moscow has offered to sign a new five-year bilateral military cooperation plan with Pyongyang.

At a ceremony marking the memorial’s opening on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed the need to strengthen the partnership against what he described as fascism and hegemonic forces, according to state media.

“No matter how the rules of war change and whenever and wherever a crisis occurs, we should be strengthened into a sincere, dedicated and powerful bulwark with unified power,” Kim was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).