Pyongyang and Moscow confirmed yesterday (Monday) that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet President Putin in Russia this week.
The announcement, which contained no further details, came after warnings from Western intelligence officials that:
Kim could agree to send Russia additional stocks of artillery, rockets, and small arms munitions for its invasion of Ukraine, and
Putin could in return share blueprints on advanced weapons systems like nuclear submarines and intel satellites.
This kind of deal would be an escalation of the existing arms trade the two neighbours have reportedly conducted for months.
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Intrigue’s take: Russia and North Korea are as isolated as ever: Putin can’t travel to most countries for fear of being arrested, and Kim hasn’t left home since 2019. But two pariahs combined can still wield plenty of power.
Also worth noting:
- Kim’s armoured train entered Russia earlier today (Tuesday).
- The 1,100km journey took around 20 hours because the train travels at around 60km per hour.
