Top Russia envoy dies just a week after public outing; cause secret as Kim Jong Un breaks silence

Russia’s ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, has died at 70 after a decades‑long career shaping Moscow‑Pyongyang relations. Appointed in 2014, he was instrumental in strengthening defense and economic ties. Kim Jong Un offered deep condolences, calling him a devoted friend who helped build today’s DPRK‑Russia strategic partnership.