– Kim Jong Un visits an aircraft factory in Russia
The North Korean leader arrived in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Russia’s Far East, on Friday to visit an aircraft factory that produces “military and civilian equipment.”
Published today at 02:24 Updated 6 hours ago
Kim Jong Un on September 13, 2023 in Russia.
AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived Friday morning in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Russian Far East to visit an aircraft factory, continuing his trip to Russia, a country that Washington suspects of wanting to buy weapons from Pyongyang to support its assault in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, during his first official trip abroad since the Covid pandemic, the leader of Pyongyang met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome (East), with the aim of strengthening ties between their two countries , particularly military. For the moment, nothing has been officially communicated about a possible agreement for the delivery of equipment or military collaboration between the two countries, isolated and under international sanctions.
“Kim Jong Un arrived by train at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur railway station,” said the Russian public press agency TASS, where he was welcomed by the governor of the Khabarovsk region, Mikhail Degtiarev, according to the Interfax agency.
“A few more days”
Kim Jong Un then visited the Yuri Gagarin aircraft factory of the Sukhoi manufacturer where Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets are produced, TASS reported. Interfax for its part indicated that the North Korean official was to visit a company in the aviation sector producing “military and civilian equipment”.
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that Kim Jong Un’s trip to Russia was expected to last “a few more days”, without giving further details. According to Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un was to go to Komsomolsk-on-Amur to visit factories producing “civil and military” aeronautical equipment, before attending a “military demonstration” by the Russian Fleet. Pacific in Vladivostok, where the two men had already met in 2019
Meeting with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Kim Jong Un declared that rapprochement with Moscow would constitute the “absolute priority” of North Korean foreign policy. The Russian president, who accepted an invitation from Kim Jong Un to visit North Korea, for his part praised the “future strengthening of cooperation” with this country, evoking “prospects” of military cooperation despite international sanctions targeting Pyongyang because of its nuclear programs and missiles in development.
Washington’s concern
Washington expressed its “concern”, affirming that Russia was interested in purchasing North Korean munitions to support its military operations in Ukraine, launched in February 2022. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un have also offered each other a rifle during their interview, the Kremlin said on Thursday, presents which appear to be highly symbolic.
After turning to Iran to supply hundreds of explosive drones, Moscow could find useful resources from Pyongyang, which has large stockpiles of Soviet equipment and mass produces conventional weapons. “Moscow needs imports to maintain the current level of operational intensity of its war effort over the long term,” observed the German Council on Foreign Relations in a study published last week.
“Direct violation”
On Thursday, the White House said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed the Putin-Kim meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. “They stressed that any arms export (…) would be a direct violation of several United Nations Security Council resolutions,” detailed a press release.
The 122 mm caliber rockets intended for the BM-21 “Grad” multiple launch rockets (MLRS) from the Soviet era, which equip Russian forces in Ukraine and appear in the North Korean arsenal, are particularly likely to be of interest Russia. In exchange, Pyongyang could be provided with Russian oil and food, and even access to space technologies.
Moscow has discussed possible help in the construction of satellites, after two recent failures by North Korea to place a military spy satellite in orbit, but also proposed sending a North Korean cosmonaut into space, according to the agencies of Russian press, which would be a first for the country.
AFP
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2023-09-15 05:13:01
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