In advance of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare trip to Russia on Tuesday. Washington has expressed concern over a potential weaponry deal for Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine.
Images from North Korean state television showed an expressionless Kim waving from the doorway of his heavily-armed private train with green-and-gold livery as it left Pyongyang station on Sunday evening. Kim was accompanied by uniformed defense officers. He was wearing a black suit.
Images from the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti showed a train with dark green carriages being carried down a track by a Russian Railways locomotive, confirming Kim’s train had crossed the border into the Primorsky area.
Later this week, Kim and Putin will meet in the Far East, according to Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, as reported by Ria Novosti.
The two might cross paths at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, the city in the Far East closest to the Russian-North Korean border. It will continue till Wednesday.
According to experts, Moscow would likely ask North Korea for anti-tank missiles and artillery shells in exchange for advanced satellite and nuclear submarine technology.
Kim “left here by his train on Sunday afternoon to visit the Russian Federation,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), accompanied by senior North Korean military officials, including those in command of weapons manufacturing and space science.
Kim was accorded a “warm send-off” replete with a red carpet and honor guard at Pyongyang station at around 18h38 (09h38 GMT), according to KCNA pictures.
