North Korean leader Kim Jong Un surveyed Russia’s fighter jets on Friday during his extensive visit to Russia’s Far East, raising concerns about military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang amidst Western apprehensions.
Shortly after engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin and exploring the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim proceeded to the industrial city of Komsomolsk-on-Amure to inspect a military aircraft production facility and a civil aviation plant.
“Kim was given a tour of the engineering center and production workshops of the Yuri Gagarin Aviation Plant and the production center of the Yakovlev plant, both subsidiaries of the United Aircraft Corporation,” declared the Russian government.
At the Gagarin plant, which is under U.S. sanctions, the North Korean leader was provided a view of the Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jet assembly workshops. Following the tour, a Su-35 performed a demonstration flight.
Russian state media later released footage of Kim’s Maybach luxury car being stowed inside his armored train for the next part of his journey.
“We see potential for collaboration in aircraft construction as well as other industries,” mentioned Russia’s Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who accompanied Kim during the visit.
“This is particularly relevant for achieving the technological sovereignty objectives of both our countries,” added Manturov.
Both countries face significant Western sanctions, while Russia is currently experiencing unprecedented isolation from the West due to its nearly 19-month-long conflict in Ukraine.
Kim’s visit has raised widespread concerns about illicit arms agreements amidst Putin’s efforts to strengthen Soviet-era alliances.
Mikhail Degtyarev, the governor of Russia’s Khabarovsk region where Komsomolsk-on-Amure is the second-largest city, drew parallels between the two countries’ shared Soviet past and their current tensions with the West.
“Our fathers and grandfathers together fought against Japanese militarism, our country supported North Korea in its resistance to U.S. imperial ambitions in the 1950s, and today we stand united against the pressures from the collective West,” stated Degtyarev.
Kim was accompanied by a heavily-military entourage, while top Russian military officials also took part in the summit between the North Korean leader and Putin on Wednesday.
Kim is also expected to visit the Far East port of Vladivostok to observe a display of Russian warships.
This week, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin will visit North Korea after receiving an invitation from Kim.
Peskov stated that Moscow will “swiftly prepare” to send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Pyongyang, with the trip anticipated to take place in October, before arranging Putin’s visit.
Following the summit on Wednesday, Putin expressed his belief in the “possibilities” for military cooperation with North Korea.
AFP contributed to this report.
