North Korea rolls out the red carpet for nuclear ally RussiaBy DAVID AVERRE and WILL STEWART
26 July 2023
North Korea rolled out the red carpet for Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu this week amid suspicions his visit to Pyongyang will see him secure new weapons and ammunition for a 'long war' in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin 's right-hand man is on a three-day visit to the repressive state, where he will participate in celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the signing of the 1953 Korean War armistice, North Korea's 'Victory Day.' Shoigu, dressed in a general's uniform, stepped off his plane to be greeted by the Russian national anthem and hundreds of uniformed soldiers holding placards welcoming him to Pyongyang earlier this week.
A high-level Chinese delegation, led by Politburo member Li Hongzhong, was also welcomed. During their time in North Korea, the Russian and Chinese officials will witness a military parade showcasing dictator Kim Jong-un's arsenal of nuclear weapons. But it is thought the purpose of Shoigu's visit may be to boost the supply of artillery shells for his forces in Putin's war in Ukraine. Analysts say the spectacle of military might presented by the hermit kingdom's Kim Jong-un will include the North's nuclear-tipped missiles banned by the United Nations Security Council, where Russia and China are permanent members.
The visits are the first known foreign delegations to visit North Korea since the pandemic began, and come as Pyongyang has looked to deepen ties with Beijing and Moscow, finding common ground in rivalries with the West. Images from Russia's defense ministry and North Korean media showed Shoigu being warmly greeted by North Korean defense minister Kang Sun Nam and Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora at the airport. The US has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia during the war in Ukraine, including an arms delivery of infantry rockets and missiles to the Kremlin-backed Wagner mercenary group in November 2022.
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Source:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/galleries/article-12340827/North-Korea-rolls-red-carpet-nuclear-ally-Russia.html
