Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora and the military attaché of the Russian embassy here hosted a reception at the Taedonggang Diplomatic Club on Thursday to mark the Day of Defenders of the Motherland.

Present there on invitation were Minister No Kwang Chol, Vice-Minister Kim Kang Il of National Defence of the DPRK, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jong Gyu, generals and other officers of the Korean People's Army and officials concerned, and members of the diplomatic corps and the military attaches corps here.

Staff members of the Russian embassy were on hand.

Alexei Bartusov, Russian military attaché, made a speech at the reception.

He said that Russia proudly regards the Great Patriotic War veterans, internationalist soldiers and all other people who honorably performed the serviceperson's duty with bravery and loyalty to the motherland.

He stressed it was a key event that the Russia-DPRK cooperative relations were put on an unprecedentedly high level and the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership was concluded thanks to the political will of President of Russian Federation V. V. Putin and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un.

Saying that the fraternal peoples of the two countries are linked by the long-standing ties of friendship and mutual respect that are growing stronger with militant friendship, he expressed deep thanks to the leadership of the DPRK and all the Korean people who are firmly supporting Russia, irrespective of the acts of the U.S. and its followers.

Then No Kwang Chol made a speech.

He, on behalf of all the service personnel of the armed forces of the DPRK, extended noble militant salute to the service personnel of the Russian army, the honorable defenders of the motherland who are devoting themselves to the sacred cause of defending the dignity and sovereignty of the country and people and realizing the international justice.

The traditional DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation have been developed into the comprehensive strategic partnership and invincible comradely-in-arms relations with the DPRK-Russia Pyongyang summit held in June last year as an occasion, demonstrating their vitality and might to the full, he said.

He expressed belief that the Russian army and people would achieve a great victory again as befitting the descendants of the victorious wartime generation this year, the "Year of Defenders of the Motherland", in firm unity around President Putin. -0-