North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un left Russia on Sunday after a six-day trip, departing with some explosive weapons as a gift.
Kim met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible arms deal, but an agreement has not yet been signed. However, before Kim left with his armored train, a Russian regional governor gave him five explosive “kamikaze” drones, a reconnaissance drone and a bulletproof vest, according to Russian state media.
North Korea’s state news agency KCNA described the trip as a “fervent and warm” meeting between the two countries. Russia is believed to be interested in an arms deal to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpile amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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The visit was Kim’s first official trip abroad since the coronavirus pandemic.
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un left Russia on Sunday after a six-day trip, departing with some explosive weapons as a gift. (Getty)
Kim met directly with Putin early last week as the two toured a space launch facility. Kim visited several locations in the Russian Far East during the trip and was later pictured touring a sanctioned fighter aircraft factory.
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“We showed the manager of one of our leading aircraft factories [North Korea]said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, according to the Associated Press. “We see potential for cooperation in aircraft construction and other industries that are particularly important for solving our countries’ task of achieving technological sovereignty.”
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The plant is part of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, an organization that the United States sanctioned in response to the Ukraine war.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits an aircraft factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, on Friday. (Courtesy of the Governor of Russia’s Khabarovsk Region Mikhail Degtyarev, Telegram channel via )
North Korean media claimed that Putin had also accepted an invitation to visit North Korea in the near future, although the Kremlin has not yet confirmed the agreement.
“At the end of the reception, Kim Jong Un politely invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,” KCNA claimed on Thursday.
According to state media, Putin has “accepted” Kim Jong Un’s invitation to North Korea.
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“Putin accepted the invitation with joy and reaffirmed his will to always continue the history and tradition of friendship between Russia and the DPRK,” it said.
North Korea claims Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit the country, although Moscow has not yet confirmed this. (Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)
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In his personal meeting with Putin, Kim pledged North Korea’s full support for Russia’s “holy struggle” in Ukraine. However, according to Moscow, there was no formal arms deal.
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Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.