Vladimir Putin: From Russia, with Love: Vladimir Putin gifts 3000 kg luxury beast to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
Gift Details and UN Resolution Concerns
The report from North Korea’s state media did not specify the type of vehicle or the method of shipping, leaving questions about how the gift was delivered. This lack of detail raises concerns about potential violations of the UN resolution, which aims to prevent North Korea from accessing luxury items.
Accepting the gift on Sunday, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, conveyed gratitude to Putin, emphasizing the special personal relationship between the two leaders. She highlighted that the gesture underscores the increased cooperation between North Korea and Russia, particularly since Kim’s summit with Putin in September of the previous year.
Putin’s Anrus Senat Limousine and Increased Cooperation
During Kim’s visit to Russia in 2019, Putin showcased his personal Anrus Senat limousine to Kim at Russia’s primary spaceport. The Aurus brand, as reported by Russia’s state-run Tass news agency, is the first Russian luxury car brand, utilized in the motorcades of top officials, including Putin, since its inauguration in 2018. This exchange of gifts and gestures indicates the growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, despite international sanctions.Putin’s Aurus Senat Limousine: A Symbol of Russian Luxury and SecurityThe Aurus Senat Limousine is the official vehicle of Russian President Vladimir Putin, making him the first president of Russia to use a car developed in Russia, in 2018. Custom-made for Putin as part of the “Cortege” project, the vehicle is a symbol of Russian luxury and security.
Luxury and Security Features
The Aurus Senat is often compared to the Rolls-Royce Phantom luxury sedan. It measures 5631 mm in length and weighs 2700 kg, but Putin’s version stretches to 6700 mm. The car is equipped with bulletproof armor, reinforced glass, bomb-resistant underfloor protection, ‘run-flat’ rubber tires, integrated offensive weapons, and a self-contained oxygen supply. It also boasts a secure-line communication system.
Kim’s Luxury Vehicles
Kim Jong Un, known for his interest in luxury vehicles, showed interest in the Aurus Senat Limousine during a visit to Russia’s space launch station last September. Putin, recognizing Kim’s enthusiasm for cars, invited him to climb into the back seat of the vehicle.
Kim’s Foreign Luxury Cars and International Sanctions
Kim Jong Un is known for possessing numerous foreign-made luxury cars allegedly smuggled into North Korea in violation of UN resolutions. Kim Jong Un often travels in luxury foreign vehicles, including Maybach and Mercedes limousines, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and a Lexus SUV. During his visit to Russia in 2019, Kim used a Maybach limousine, highlighting the porous nature of international sanctions on North Korea. This ownership of expensive foreign limousines contrasts with the ban on supplying luxury goods to North Korea and raises questions about the effectiveness of international sanctions.
Russia’s Voting and Growing Ties
Despite being a permanent Security Council member with the power to veto resolutions, Russia voted in favor of the ban on supplying luxury goods to North Korea. However, the ties between North Korea and Russia have grown, especially as both countries are engaged in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies. North Korea faces scrutiny for its advancing nuclear program, while Russia is embroiled in a protracted war with Ukraine.
Accusations and Expressions of Future Visits
Accusations by the US, South Korea, and their allies suggest that North Korea may be providing conventional arms to Russia in exchange for advanced Russian weapons technologies and other support for its war in Ukraine. Following a Russian visit in January, the North Korean state media reported Putin’s expressed willingness to visit North Korea at an early date, indicating further developments in the relationship between the two countries.
Putin’s gift of a Russian car to Kim Jong Un highlights the special relationship between the two leaders but also raises concerns about violating international sanctions. The growing ties between North Korea and Russia, despite their own conflicts with the US and Ukraine, suggest a complex geopolitical landscape in which gifts and gestures play a role in diplomacy. Putin’s willingness to visit North Korea in the future indicates a deepening of relations that could have implications for regional and global stability.
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Source link
