MOSCOW: In his tour of Russian technological and military facilities, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia’s Far East to inspect advanced weaponry.
According to Russian-language news media reports, Kim Jong Un was accompanied by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and other senior military officials during his visit.
Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia’s Primorsky region, welcomed Kim Jong Un to the city of Artyom, situated approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Vladivostok, on Saturday. The North Korean leader arrived on his private, armoured train and was greeted by children presenting flowers, as shown in a video released by Kozhemyako.
Upon his arrival in Artyom, Kim Jong Un proceeded to the Vladivostok airport, where he was given a tour of Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers and other warplanes by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and senior military officials. Shoigu introduced Kim to Russia’s latest hypersonic missile, the Kinzhal, an air-launched ballistic missile with nuclear or conventional warhead capabilities.
The hypersonic Kinzhal missile boasts an estimated range of 1,500 to 2,000 km (930-1,240 miles) and can carry a payload of 480 kg (1,100 pounds). Its incredible speed, travelling at up to 10 times the speed of sound (12,000 kph or 7,700 mph), enhances its strategic capabilities.
Kim Jong Un was also shown models of strategic bombers, including the Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22M3, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. These aircraft are routinely used by Russia for launching missiles, particularly notable in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Shoigu informed Kim that these bombers could cover distances such as from Moscow to Japan and back.
During the visit, Kim expressed interest in understanding how missiles were fired from the aircraft, emphasizing the critical role of strategic bombers in Russia’s nuclear forces, as highlighted by a Russian official.
Kim Jong Un initiated his visit to Russia by meeting President Vladimir Putin at Russia’s main Vostochny Cosmodrome spaceport, followed by a visit to a plant producing Russia’s Su-57 fighter jets in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Expressing admiration for Russia’s rapidly advancing aviation technologies, Kim appreciated their capability to surpass potential threats, a sentiment echoed by Russian media.
Experts foresee potential military collaboration between Russia and North Korea, focusing on modernizing North Korea’s outdated air force, which still relies on warplanes received from the Soviet Union during the 1980s. Kim Jong Un was also scheduled to visit Russian naval ships in Vladivostok later during his trip.
While Putin and Kim discussed military matters and the war in Ukraine during their meeting, Putin assured that Russia wouldn’t violate any existing sanctions imposed on North Korea by the United Nations. However, the United States has expressed concerns about Russia’s increasing dialogue with North Korea, fearing potential access to stockpiles of artillery and rockets that could be utilized in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
