Katerina Chernovol21:53, 09/04/23

3 min.920

The North Korean leader plans to visit Russia in September.

The leader of North Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un plans to visit Russia and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They will discuss the possibility of supplying Russia with additional weapons for its war against Ukraine and other military cooperation between the states. 

The New York Times writes about it . It is noted that Kim Jong-un is likely to make a “rare sortie” on an armored train. According to officials, he should come to Russia’s Vladivostok, where he will meet with Putin. Kim Jong-un’s visit to Moscow is also not ruled out, although this is not certain. 

“Putin wants Kim to agree to donate artillery shells and anti-tank missiles to Russia, and Kim would like Russia to provide North Korea with advanced technology for satellites and nuclear submarines, officials said. Kim is also seeking food aid for his impoverished nation,” stated in the material.

Both leaders are expected to be on the campus of Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok to attend the Eastern Economic Forum scheduled for September 10-13. The publication’s sources say the North Korean leader also plans to visit Berth 33 (Russian naval base in Vladivostok – ed.), where ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet moor.

One of Kim’s potential stops after Vladivostok is also the Vostochny Cosmodrome, the space launch center where Putin and Alexander Lukashenko met in April 2022.

Cooperation between Russia and North Korea

For several months now, the US has been claiming that North Korea is supplying Russia with weapons to wage war against Ukraine. Although Pyongyang denies the allegations, Washington says it has evidence of such cooperation. In particular, the White House reported that the DPRK was secretly supplying Russia with artillery shells .

In addition, in July, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was invited to North Korea, where from the 25th to the 27th they “celebrated” the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War . The visit took place – in the United States they say that the main goal of the Russian Federation was to receive assistance against the backdrop of problems with weapons in the war against Ukraine.

On September 4, it became known that during this visit, Shoigu suggested that Kim Jong-In hold joint naval exercises . It is noted that China can become a participant in these exercises.

(C)UNIAN 2023