Moscow:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received five explosive drones, a reconnaissance drone and a bulletproof vest as gifts from a regional governor on his visit to Russia, official TASS news agency said Sunday. Kim’s first official visit abroad since the coronavirus pandemic has fanned Western fears that Moscow and Pyongyang will defy sanctions and strike an arms deal. 

On Saturday he met the Russian defence minister in Vladivostok, where he inspected state-of-the-art weapons including a hypersonic missile system.

TASS said the “leader of the DPRK received five kamikaze drones and a ‘Geran-25’ reconnaissance drone with vertical takeoff”, using the official name of North Korea.

TASS said the governor of the Primorye region, which borders China and North Korea, also “offered Kim Jong Un a set of bulletproof protection” and “special clothing not detectable by thermal cameras”.

Kim’s extended tour of Russia’s far eastern region, which began on Tuesday, has focused extensively on military matters, as evidenced by his own officer-dominated entourage, a symbolic exchange of rifles with President Vladimir Putin and a tour of a fighter jet factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Moscow is believed to be interested in buying North Korean ammunition to continue fighting in Ukraine, while Pyongyang wants Russia’s help to develop its internationally condemned missile programme. 

The Kremlin has said no agreement has or will be signed.

Kim also met with North Korean students studying in Vladivostok on Sunday.

North Korean news agency KCNA has described the atmosphere during Kim’s visit as “fervent and warm” and said a “new era of friendship, solidarity and cooperation” was opening between North Korea and Russia.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Moscow, Russia:

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday on the 75 anniversary of the country’s founding and called for stronger ties “on all fronts”.

“I am convinced that thanks to our joint efforts we will continue to strengthen… bilateral ties on all fronts”, Putin said in a message to Kim as quoted by the Kremlin.

“This fully corresponds to the interests of our people” and helps to ensure “the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia,” he said.

Putin noted that the Soviet Union was the first country to recognise the North Korean regime and said that “since then relations between our two countries have always been based on the principles of friendship, good neighbourliness and mutual respect”.

“I sincerely wish you good health and success and I wish all North Korean citizens peace and prosperity,” Putin added.

The statement comes amid rumours of a possible summit between the two leaders in Russia later this month, according to US media reports.

American officials told the New York Times that Kim would likely travel by armoured train to Vladivostok, on Russia’s Pacific coast not far from North Korea, to meet with Putin.

Vladivostok will be hosting the Eastern Economic Forum on September 10 to 13, which last year saw 68 countries attend.

The Kremlin however refused for the second time on Saturday to confirm any meeting.

“No, I don’t know,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked if he had information about a meeting between Putin and Kim on the sidelines of the summit.

 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)