Kim Jong-un’s trip to Russia is far from over after the summit with Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny space base on Wednesday, September 13. His train arrived today, September 15, in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, home of the Gagarin fighter jet factory.
Russian television showed images of the North Korean marshal climbing onto an elevated platform that allowed him to admire the cockpit of a Su-57, the most advanced and advanced fighter aircraft in the Federation industry. As Kim listened to the fighter pilot explain the wonders of the device, he smiled in delight and then clapped his hands as a Su-35 multi-role fighter jet landed on the runway, another jewel of Putin’s wartime air force that made a major flight to show his qualities.
During his visit to the industrial complex (which is on the list of factories subject to sanctions by the United States), Kim was accompanied by his uniformed generals and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The North Korean guest was then guided through the assembly line of the Sukhoi SJ-100, passenger transport aircraft. “We showed him one of our most important aircraft factories. There is potential for cooperation between Russia and North Korea in the field of aircraft production, a way to jointly achieve technological superiority,” Manturov said.
Western analysts believe that Kim wants to ask his new Russian partners to sell fighter jets to strengthen the old North Korean air force, which counts on around fifty old Soviet-era Mig-29s, now obsolete and lacking spare parts more have parts. Moscow has already reached an agreement this year to sell Su-35 fighter jets to Iran, although it is unclear whether they were delivered in violation of international embargoes.
The Washington secret service has extensively condemned the major maneuvers between Putin and Kim. The Russian army, stuck in Ukraine, needs ammunition for its guns, anti-tank rocket launchers and short-range missiles – all war materials that are in large quantities in the North Korean arsenal. The other day, the Marshal, who arrived with Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome on a long journey in his private and armored train from Pyongyang, promised “unity with Russia in the holy struggle against imperialism” and encountered “a special operation of the brave Russian” from army in Ukraine” and offers “full support”. The public statements ended with Putin confirming “the possibility of military cooperation.”
Meanwhile, in return for the munitions, North Korea could receive technological assistance in space launches to put a spy satellite into orbit (Kim’s technicians tried it themselves this year but failed twice; they will try again in October). Officially, the Kremlin continues to deny any barter: “No contract has been signed and is currently not planned,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. But it’s clear that Kim’s stop at the fighter jet factory raises more than one suspicion. It’s time to sign agreements.
Putin enthusiastically accepted Kim’s invitation to return the visit soon and travel to Pyongyang. And in any case, it is likely that no arms treaty would be signed in the spotlight, both to avoid further international sanctions and to avoid showing the world that the Russians desperately need the old ammunition made in poor and disinherited North Korea.
It is now reported that Kim’s convoy is heading towards Vladivostok. The port is home to the Russian Pacific Fleet and a demonstration of the Russian ships’ capabilities is planned. In recent days, Moscow announced an invitation to the North Korean Navy to take part in the next joint naval exercises between Russian and Chinese ships. In reality, Kim doesn’t have much to do alongside his friends Putin and Xi Jinping, but displaying the Northern flag alongside the Russian and Chinese ones would certainly have significant political implications.