North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday took his first ride in a car offered by Russian President Vladimir Putin as “clear proof” of the strengthening friendship between the two countries, state media reported on Saturday, citing Reuters.

Kim Jong-un oversaw military exercisesPhoto: STR / AFP / Profimedia

Pyongyang and Moscow have strengthened ties since Kim met Putin in Russia in September and pledged to deepen military ties. They reject Western accusations that North Korea supplies Russia with artillery shells and missiles used during the invasion of Ukraine, News.ro notes.

Kim Jong Un’s ride on Friday in a Russian Aurus limousine is “clear evidence of the friendship between North Korea and Russia that is comprehensively developing to a new higher level,” the leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong said, according to state media. using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Putin sent a car to Kim Almost a month ago. “The gift to the esteemed comrade Kim Jong-un from Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was handed over to the secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Park Jong-jung and Kim Yo. Chon, deputy director of the Department of the Central Committee of the TPK on the Russian side on February 18.

Kim Yo Jong conveyed the gratitude of Kim Jong Un to Vladimir Putin, noting that this gift is a vivid demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and Russia, which are at the best level,” North Korean state media wrote.

According to Asian media, it is the Aurus Senat limousine that Kim Jong-un looked at last year during a meeting with Putin. During the North Korean dictator’s visit to Russia in September, Vladimir Putin invited Kim Jong Un into the back seat of his Aurus Senat presidential limousine.

Kim Jong-un then arrived aboard his Maybach limousine, delivered by special train from North Korea.

Kim Jong-un watched the air force drills on Friday and called for “realistic” preparations for war after the annual joint drills between South Korea and the United States ended this week.

“Only realistic training directly related to war can train soldiers to be true fighters,” Kim said, according to state media.

The joint exercises between South Korea and the United States were the first since Pyongyang in November abandoned the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, which was intended to reduce tensions.