Russia: North Korean leader Mr. Kim Jong Un has reportedly inspected Russia’s hypersonic ‘Kinzhal’ missiles on his tour of Russian space, military, and other technological facilities in the country’s Far East. The leader also viewed nuclear-capable bombers in the latest stop.
The Russian Defense Minister, Mr. Sergei Shoigu, and other senior military officials have shown Mr. Kim the country’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers and other warplanes.
Mr. Shoigu introduced the leader to Russia’s latest missile, the hypersonic Kinzhal, an air-launched ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads.
The Kinzhal, which means ‘dagger’ in Russian, has a reported range of 1,500 to 2,000 km while carrying a payload of 480kg. It may travel at up to 10 times the speed of sound (12,000 kph or 7,700 mph), as per the report.
According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, Mr. Kim was also shown three models of strategic bombers, the Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22M3, that are regularly used by Russia to launch missiles in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“It can fly from Moscow to Japan and then back again,” Mr. Shoigu told North Korea’s leader.
Mr. Kim began his visit to Russia on September 13, 2023, with a meeting with President Mr. Vladimir Putin at Russia’s primary spaceport, Vostochny Cosmodrome. The leader was seen again on September 15, 2023, in the far eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, visiting a plant that manufactures Russia’s Su-57 fighter jets.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that during his visit to the aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Mr. Kim showed deep appreciation for Russia’s rapidly advancing aviation technologies, surpassing potential external threats.
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