North Korea's autocrat Kim Jong Un hosted a military delegation led by Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu and Chinese government officials who attended a widely anticipated parade on the occasion of the country's war victory day celebrated on Thursday. The parade in the capital city of Pyongyang commemorated the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, commemorated in North Korea as "Victory Day", as per the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).


The Russian and Chinese delegations were seen with dictator Kim Jong Un reviewing his newest nuclear-capable missiles and attack drones at a military parade in the capital.






Russian Defence Minister's visit to North Korea was the first by Moscow's top defence official since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union while the Chinese delegation was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, news agency Reuters reported. The Chinese delegation was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic.


The parade included North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missiles Hwasong-17 and Hwasong-18, according to KCNA. The missiles are believed to have the range to hit targets anywhere in the United States.






"The excitement and great joy of the spectators reached its height when the Second Red Flag Company of the General Missile Bureau entered the square with the ICBM Hwasongpho-18, the most powerful core mainstay of the strategic force of the DPRK, which is fully deterring and overwhelmingly countering the hostile forces' various nuclear war threats and provocative acts of aggression against the DPRK and reliably defending the security of the DPRK," KCNA stated.


"The column of the ICBM Hwasongpho-17 representing the might of the strategic force of the DPRK, an absolute entity of the might of the powerful state and its people capable of putting an end to the imperialist tyranny on the earth and saving the future of mankind, and a treasured sword for justice and peace, passed the square, led by the hero launcher in its van," the state-run news agency added.


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The Chinese and Russian delegations' visit came as a contrast from the countries' previous stance where they distanced themselves from their neighbour's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development.


Images and visuals broadcast by North Korean state media as showing Kim, Shoigu and Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Li Hongzhong talking, laughing and saluting while North Korean troops marched and weapons rolled past in the parade.



Source: KCNA


As per KCNA, the event also featured a flyover by new attack and spy drones, KCNA reported.


Putin Thanks North Korea For Support In Ukraine War


Kim hosted a reception for Shoigu and committed to maintaining solidarity with Russia's people and military. Shoigu lauded the North Korean military as the strongest in the world, and the two discussed security and defence cooperation, KCNA mentioned in a statement.


In another meeting, the Russian Defence Minister read a congratulatory message from President Vladimir Putin who thanked North Korea for its support during the "special military operation" in Ukraine, it reported.


"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's firm support to the special military operation against Ukraine and its solidarity with Russia on key international issues highlight our common interests and determination to counter the policy of the Western group which hinders the establishment of the truly multipolarized and just world order based on the inseparability of the predominance of the international law and security, and the respect for the sovereignty and national interests of the states," Putin said, as quoted by KCNA.


The event came after the United States accused North Korea of providing weapons to Moscow in the Ukraine war. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Thursday that the U.S. was "incredibly concerned" about Russia-North Korea ties, Reuters reported.


Notably, Pyongyang and Moscow have denied holding any arms transactions.


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