North Korea's Russian Defence Minister

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday, leading a military mission to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War (1950-1953). Kang Sun-nam, his North Korean equivalent, received him at the airport. "This trip will help strengthen ties between Russia and North Korea and will be a turning point in the development of cooperation between our countries," Shoigu told TASS.

North Korea is organising a major military parade to demonstrate its newest nuclear weapons to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, which is set to take place on Thursday. Since the start of the corona pandemic, North Korea has blocked its foreign borders. The country has criticised the Ukraine conflict as a result of the United States' hegemonic control programme. In reaction to Russia's attack on Ukraine, the government stated in a statement that US and NATO efforts in Eastern Europe presented a threat to Russia's security, while Washington backed up its actions with "exciting rumours" of a probable Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have a long history, and the Soviet Union was one of North Korea's most ardent backers throughout the Cold War. In the 1950s, Moscow assisted North Korean scientists in acquiring the information required to build the country's nuclear programme, and by the late 20th century, it had become a significant partner for the regime, frequently providing military aid and weaponry.