Kim Jong-un presented the Russian Defense Minister with new drones that copy American designs

Kim Jong-un shows Sergei Shoigu North Korean weapons, including new drones (pictured at the back) Photo: STR/AFP

Defense Minister Russia promised to strengthen military ties, calling the North Korean military «the most powerful» in the world during a banquet in Pyongyang.

His appearance in Pyongyang shows that Russia, a member of the Security Council, has abandoned any claims to to keep North Korea and its nuclear program under control.

“The symbolism of the visit of the Russian Defense Minister to a room filled with missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons built in North Korea is harsh and gloomy,” said Ankit Panda , nuclear energy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“Former Russian support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has given way to these efforts to enlist Pyongyang as a strategic partner,” he said. » /> Russia is a historical ally of Pyongyang. Photo: STR/AFP

The invitation of high-profile Russian and Chinese guests, including high-profile politician Li Hongzhong, to the North's Victory Day celebration potentially signals a loosening of Pyongyang's strict Covid border controls and offers Kim a domestic propaganda win as he attempts to shore up the image of a statesman. despite crushing economic problems.

Russia, a historical ally of Pyongyang, is one of the very few countries that maintains friendly relations with the North, while authoritarian leader Kim has offered unwavering support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

According to a US intelligence report last year, Russia bought artillery shells and missiles from North Korea. Analysts speculate that this may have been in exchange for supplies of grain, oil and medicines, which allowed Kim to soften the impact of US sanctions against his nuclear weapons program.

Mr. Shoigu took part in the ceremony marking the end of the Korean War, known as «Victory Day». Photo: REUTERS

After meeting with top officials of the DPRK Ministry of Defense, Mr. Shoigu pointed to the strengthening of military ties with Pyongyang, referring to a statement released by the Russian Ministry of Defense via Telegram.

“I am convinced that today’s talks will help strengthen cooperation between our defense departments,” Shoigu was quoted in a statement, without specifying the details of future military cooperation.

«For Russia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an important partner with whom we share a common border and a rich history of cooperation,» he said.

Kim's desire for closer ties with authoritarian allies China and Russia signals efforts to counter US efforts to step up Washington's trilateral security cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo in an effort to contain Beijing's growing presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Mr. Shoigu indicated that military ties with Pyongyang would be intensified. Photo: KCNA/via REUTERS

In recent months, Pyongyang has criticized joint US-South Korean military exercises and the docking of the first US nuclear submarine to arrive in South Korea. since the 1980s, launching missile tests in retaliation.

Analysts suggest that Shoigu and Kim's talk at the arms show of «mutual interest» in defending their sovereignty from «masterful imperialists» signals a much deeper shift from the outside, both countries mutually reinforce each other's interests.

North Korea is prohibited from developing weapons using ballistic missile technology by UN Security Council resolutions that were previously supported by all permanent members, including Russia and China.

However, Mr. Shoigu's visit to Pyongyang indicates that Russia is heeding little of the US State Department's latest calls for Moscow and Beijing to use their influence with Kim to play a constructive role in de-escalating the Korean conflict. Peninsula.