Moscow, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin has further solidified his growing ties with North Korea by gifting more than 70 animals to the country’s primary zoo.
This unusual gesture, delivered by Russian Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov aboard a cargo plane, included a lion, two brown bears, two yaks, five cockatoos, and a variety of pheasants and mandarin ducks.
The animals were flown to Pyongyang, marking the latest in a series of symbolic exchanges between Moscow and Pyongyang, as both countries strengthen their political and military alliance.
Kozlov’s visit also featured a courtesy call on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reinforcing the diplomatic ties between the two nations.
🇷🇺🇰🇵 Russian President Putin gifts over 70 animals from the Moscow Zoo to North Korea, including an African lion and brown bears.
"This is Vladimir Putin's gift to Korean people." pic.twitter.com/s1VWURQiRx
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) November 21, 2024
This gift follows a similar gesture earlier in the year, when Putin gave Kim 24 pure-bred horses, allegedly in exchange for artillery shells that North Korea had provided for Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
The recent diplomatic exchanges, including this animal gift, come amidst deepening relations between Russia and North Korea. Both nations are facing Western sanctions and are increasingly collaborating on military and technological fronts.
Putin, seeking support for his ongoing conflict in Ukraine, benefits from North Korea’s strategic position and resources, while Kim is looking to bolster his missile program with Russian space technology.
Their alliance was notably displayed in June when Putin visited North Korea, where the two leaders signed a pact on mutual defense against external threats.
During this visit, Putin also presented Kim with an Aurus limousine, a luxury gift in line with Kim’s apparent love for high-end vehicles, as he has been seen with a variety of expensive cars, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Maybach.
WE RECOMMEND | Nadal ‘King of Clay’ bids emotional farewell from Professional Tennis
