<img src="https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/664/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg" srcset=" https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/556/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg 556w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/600/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg 600w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/664/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg 664w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/700/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg 700w, https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/17/0/0/3194/2129/800/0/75/0/3671619_5304217-01-06.jpg 800w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 556px, 100vw" alt="In this video grab taken from a handout video footage taken and released by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia on September 17, 2023, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) attends a farewell ceremony at the end of his visit to Russia at the Artyom railway station near Vladivostok, in the Primorsky region. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " afp="" photo="" ministry="" of="" natural="" resources="" and="" environment="" russia"="" -="" no="" marketing="" advertising="" campaigns="" distributed="" as="" a="" service="" to="" clients="" (photo="" by="" handout="" russia="" afp)="" restricted="" editorial="" use="" mandatory="" credit="" "afp="" clients"="" width="100%" height="auto">
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left Russia on Sunday, September 17, ending a visit affirming close ties with Vladimir Putin. Kim's extended tour of Russia's far eastern region, which began Tuesday, has focused extensively on military matters, with his own entourage dominated by officers, a symbolic exchange of rifles with Putin and a tour of a fighter jet factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
Before departing, official Russian agency TASS said Kim had been given five explosive drones, a reconnaissance drone and a bulletproof vest as gifts from a regional governor. TASS added the "leader of the DPRK received five kamikaze drones and a 'Geran-25' reconnaissance drone with vertical takeoff", using the official name of North Korea. TASS also said the governor of the Primorye region, which borders China and North Korea, also "offered Kim Jong Un a set of bulletproof protection" and "special clothing not detectable by thermal cameras".
Later on Sunday the Ria Novosti agency published a video of Kim's departure and said a "departure ceremony" was held at the Artyom-Primorsky-1 station. Footage shows Kim waving goodbye from his train to a Russian delegation led by Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov, before the Russian march "Farewell of Slavianka" is played as the train departs.
Historic allies, Russia and North Korea are both under rafts of global sanctions – Moscow for its Ukraine assault, Pyongyang for its nuclear tests. The first official visit abroad for the North Korean leader since the coronavirus pandemic has fanned Western fears that Moscow and Pyongyang will defy sanctions and strike an arms deal.
After meeting Kim on Wednesday at the Vostochny cosmodrome, roughly 8,000 kilometers from Moscow, Putin talked up the prospect of greater cooperation with North Korea and the "possibilities" for military ties.
Moscow is believed to be interested in buying North Korean ammunition to continue fighting in Ukraine, while Pyongyang wants Russia's help to develop its internationally condemned missile program. The Kremlin has said no agreement has or will be signed.
On Saturday Kim met the Russian defense minister in Vladivostok, where he inspected state-of-the-art weapons including a hypersonic missile system. North Korean news agency KCNA has described the atmosphere during Kim's visit as "fervent and warm" and said a "new era of friendship, solidarity and cooperation" was opening between North Korea and Russia. While meeting Kim, Putin accepted an invitation to visit North Korea and offered to send a North Korean to space, which would be a first.