Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled a potential willingness to assist North Korea in developing its space and satellite program Wednesday, as he gave Kim Jong Un a tour of Russia’s vast Vostochny space launch site ahead of expected arms talks.
When asked by a reporter whether Russia would help North Korea launch its own satellites and rockets, Putin responded: “That’s exactly why we came here.”
“The leader of North Korea shows great interest in space, in rocketry, and they are trying to develop space. We’ll show our new objects,” Putin said at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, in Russia’s far east Wednesday. “We’ll talk about all the issues without haste, there is time.”
I know a lot of people are joking about this, but it’s certainly bad news. They both have a lot to gain with this partnership, Russia in the short term, North Korea in the long term. Russia gets supplies it needs now in Ukraine even if it’s out of date equipment. And N. Korea gets to skip some R&D on developing more advanced systems.
They are both quite open about targeting the west. Perhaps the west should treat them as the threat they are and handle this right now, while Russia is still distracted with all their murdering of innocent families.
When you claim to have the most advanced army and weapons in the world and still need to ask North Korea for help.
My bet is he’s not “asking for help”. I’m willing to bet he’s going to sell them some weapons tech that’s way ahead of anything the DPRK currently have, and there’s a good chance it might be missile and/or nuclear warhead tech. Putin’s logic is likely along the lines of “the west is already sanctioning our balls off, so why the fuck not?”
They each need weapons, so they’ll give each other weapons. See comrade, we now have more weapons!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Putin’s comments hint at deepening ties with North Korea, which US officials have warned could see Pyongyang supply weapons for Moscow’s use in its faltering Ukraine war in exchange for sanctioned ballistic missile technology.
Video released by the Kremlin Wednesday showed the two leaders shaking hands before touring the space center and adjoining rocket complex, where launch vehicles are assembled and tested, according to Russian state media.
Providing this technology to North Korea would be in violation of international sanctions, aimed at hampering Pyongyang’s ability to build a fully functioning nuclear weapons and ballistic missile force.
“Meeting at Russia’s eastern spaceport is particularly provocative because it suggests that Putin may offer sanctions-violating satellite launch technology in exchange for North Korean munitions that Moscow would employ in its illegal war in Ukraine,” Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, told CNN.
Moscow in need of fresh supplies of ammunition and shells after more than 18 months of war in Ukraine has left its military battered, while North Korea, which has faced years of international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, is short of everything from hard cash and food to missile technology.
Among Kim’s delegation are his second-in-command of the military, Ri Pyong Chol, a target of US and UN sanctions for his role in leading the country’s ballistic missile programs as the former head of Department of the Munitions Industry, photos from KCNA show.
The original article contains 1,134 words, the summary contains 239 words. Saved 79%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Hey, I’ll give you some sketchy, semi-functional nukes from the 1950’s if you give me some sketchy, semi-functional AK’s from the 1950’s.
