It’s the “the best gift possible” — and the latest sign of deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Nothing says “I love you” like a Lada.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car (of an unspecified make) for his personal collection in a sign of the “special friendly relations” between their countries, according to North Korean state media.
The gift is the latest sign of deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, which have strengthened since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with North Korea sending vast amounts of ammunition to assist Putin’s forces.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking government official who has been described as North Korea’s de facto No. 2 leader, accepted Putin’s gift Sunday, hailing it as “clear evidence of the special friendly relations” between Russia and North Korea and “the best gift possible.”
Though the make and model of Putin’s present were unspecified, Kim Jong Un — a known fan of Western high-end cars who reportedly owns multipleluxury vehicles illegally smuggled into his sanctioned country — previously scoped out Putin’s presidential Aurus limousine during a visit to Russia in September 2023.
The Putin-Kim bromance has flourished in recent years, with the latter offering his country’s “full and unconditional support” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a trip to Russia last year, and Moscow in turn exporting much-needed food and oil to its fellow pariah state.
