North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is returning home from Russia, bearing gifts from his hosts that have stirred controversy. These gifts include a rifle, a cosmonauts glove, and military drones, which individually violate U.N. sanctions.Gifts from RussiaThe items will be kept in the friendship museum, where gifts received by North Koreas three generations of leaders are preserved. Following his summit with Russian President Putin, Kim Jong Un received a Russian-made rifle described as “of the highest quality”, said Kremlins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov. In return, Kim presented Putin with a rifle crafted by North Korean artisans.RússiaCidade de VladivostokPutin recebeu kim Jon Un pic.twitter.com/OKDu0QTM4K— Álvaro Vieira (@lvaroVi34182067) September 13, 2023 Putin also gifted Kim a glove from a spacesuit worn in space, as reported by Russias TASS news agency.Additionally, Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of the Primorsky region, presented Kim with modern, lightweight body armor designed for assault operations, offering protection for the chest, shoulders, throat, and groin.Kims collection of gifts extended to military drones, including five one-way attack drones and a Geranium-25 reconnaissance drone, which has found extensive use in the conflict in Ukraine. These gifts, however, violate two U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at North Korea, despite Moscows approval of these sanctions.During his visit, Kim received a fur hat from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Vladivostok, where he inspected Russian nuclear bombers, fighter jets equipped with hypersonic missiles, and a warship. Ensuring the hat was the right size proved to be a challenge, with Russias RIA news agency reporting that Ambassador Alexander Matsegora suggested a size slightly smaller than his own very large head, which turned out to be a perfect fit.6 days visit amid geopolitical tensionKim Jong Uns visit to Russia, while strengthening ties with President Vladimir Putin, has raised numerous concerns, especially in the context of Russias ongoing conflict with Ukraine and its potential implications for global security.
