Kim Jong-un inspects Russian nuclear bombers, missiles and warships

Kim’s trip to Russia, which included more than four hours of talks with Putin on Wednesday, comes amid momentum in military cooperation between the countries (Picture: AP)

Kim Jong-un inspected Russian nuclear-capable bombers, hypersonic missiles and warships during a tour led by Vladimir Putin’s defence minister.

The North Korean leader was seen smiling as Sergei Shoigu gave a salute on his arrival at the Knevichi airfield, about 30 miles from the Pacific port city of Vladivostok.

Shoigu showed Kim Russia’s strategic bombers – the Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 – which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons and form the backbone of Russia’s nuclear air attack force.

Each has seen active use during the war in Ukraine. The defence minister said of one aircraft: ‘It can fly from Moscow to Japan and then back again.’

Kim was shown asking about how the missiles were fired from the aircraft, at times nodding and smiling.

Shoigu showed him the MiG-31I supersonic interceptor aircraft equipped with ‘Kinzhal’ hypersonic missiles.

The Kinzhal, ‘dagger’ in Russian, is an air-launched ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads.

It has a reported range of 930-1,240 miles while carrying a payload of 480 kg. It may travel at up to 10 times the speed of sound – 7,700 mph.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, center, smiles while speaking to Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, left (Picture: AP)

The North Korean leader and Russian defence secretary arrive to inspect Russian warplanes at the Vladivostok International airport (Picture: AP)

Kim’s visits to military and technology sites this week possibly hint at what he wants from Russia (Picture: AP)

Kim looks at the Kinzhal supersonic missile attached to a Russian warplane (Picture: AP)

Russia’s ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, told reporters that Kim’s programme was ‘very intense’ and that it was not yet clear how long he would remain in Russia, state news agency RIA reported.

It also quoted Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Vladivostok’s Primorye region, as saying he would have talks with Kim on Sunday on cooperation in sport, tourism and culture.

After the aircraft and missiles, Kim inspected the Russian Pacific Fleet’s frigate ‘Marshal Shaposhnikov’ in Vladivostok and saw a demonstration of modern missile control systems, RIA said.

South Korea and the United States said on Friday that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia would violate UN sanctions against Pyongyang and that the allies would ensure there was a price to pay.

Russia has gone out of its way to publicise Kim’s visit and drop repeated hints about the prospect of military cooperation with North Korea, which was formed in 1948 with the backing of the Soviet Union.

For Putin, who says Moscow is locked in an existential battle with the West over Ukraine, courting Kim allows him to needle Washington and its Asian allies while potentially securing a deep supply of artillery for the Ukraine war.

Washington has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia, which has the world’s biggest store of nuclear warheads, but it is unclear whether any deliveries have been made.

Kim on Friday inspected a Russian fighter jet factory that is under Western sanctions.

He and Putin discussed military matters, the war in Ukraine and deepening cooperation when they met on Wednesday.

Putin told reporters Russia was ‘not going to violate anything’, but would keep developing relations with North Korea.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters there had not been a plan to sign any formal agreements during the visit.

Russian diplomats said Washington had no right to lecture Moscow after the United States had bolstered its allies across the world, including with a visit of a US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to South Korea in July.

While in Vladivostok, Kim watched the first act of the ballet ‘Sleeping Beauty’, staged by St Petersburg’s Mariinsky theatre, the RIA news agency reported. 

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