Present there on invitation were members of the Russian military delegation led by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.

Kang Sun Nam, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, Jong Kyong Thaek, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA), Pak Su Il, chief of the KPA General Staff, and other commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and Im Chon Il, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, were on hand.

Kang Sun Nam made a speech at the reception.

He once again warmly welcomed Sergei Shoigu visiting Pyongyang with warm feelings of friendship toward the army and people of the DPRK at the significant time of splendidly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War.

Sergei Shoigu's visit will serve as a significant occasion in demonstrating the might of the militant unity of the armies and peoples of the two countries, established in the historic struggle against the common enemy and further consolidated in the common front against the hostile forces' moves for a war of aggression, he noted.

Referring to the history and tradition of DPRK-Russia friendship, he said that the present conflicting international military and political situation requires the armies of the two countries to resolutely stand against the U.S. brigandish strategy for world supremacy and further strengthen their mutual cooperation and collaboration on the principle of defending the national sovereignty and interests.

Expressing the full support for the just struggle of the Russian army and people to defend the sovereignty and security of the country and reaffirming the stand of the army of the DPRK to further strengthen cooperation and solidarity in the same trench of the anti-imperialist struggle, he sincerely wished the Russian army and people success in building powerful Russia under the leadership of President Putin.

Then Sergei Shoigu made a speech.

He expressed thanks to the army and people of the DPRK for their warm hospitality and warmly congratulated the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.

The Korean People's Army honorably inheriting the fighting tradition of the respected generation is not only reliably preventing the threat of outside forces but also actively taking part in the economic construction and the work for improving the people's standard of living, he said.

He stressed that the KPA, closely rallied around the Supreme Commander, has become the strongest army in the world by glorifying its heroic feats in the Fatherland Liberation War and steadily bolstering its might.

Expressing belief that the Korean people would register fresh successes in their struggle for building a thriving country, he showed the will of the Russian Federation to boost many-sided cooperation with the DPRK in full accord with the interests of the two peoples.

The reception proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere.