Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister of Russia, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the armistice that concluded the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, according to the Russian defence ministry.
"The Russian military delegation headed by the minister of defence for the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu, arrived in DRPK (North Korea)," it said.
The Russian minister was welcomed at the airport by his North Korean counterpart Kang Sun Nam, it added.
According to state media agency KCNA, a delegation from Russia led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was reported to be waiting to visit North Korea this week.
They will join a group from China, making them the first public visitors to the country since the pandemic began.
Delegations from various countries have arrived in North Korea to commemorate the 70th anniversary of “Victory Day” on Thursday in Pyongyang. The group from China is being led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Communist Party politburo.
The delegation from Russia's defence ministry, who will be in North Korea until Thursday, were invited by their North Korean counterparts to attend the Victory Day events.
“This visit will contribute to strengthening Russian-North Korean military ties and will be an important stage in the development of cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
In early 2020, North Korea shut down its border to all trade and diplomatic exchanges, including with its primary economic and political partners, China and Russia. The state media reports did not clarify if these visits will bring about any policy changes, Al-Arabiya reported.
It is anticipated that the anniversary celebrations will involve a significant military parade in the capital of North Korea.
On Monday, China claimed that it fully enforces UN sanctions against North Korea, in response to a letter from the Group of Seven, the European Union, and other nations.
The letter urged China to prevent Pyongyang from bypassing the sanctions by travelling through Chinese waters.
In June, China's exports to North Korea increased eightfold compared to the previous year while North Korea was reporting tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases per day and had closed its border.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing military aid to Russia for the war in Ukraine, but both Pyongyang and Moscow deny this claim.
Despite their strained relationship with the US, Russia and North Korea have maintained a friendly alliance with each other. Moscow has even attempted to assist in negotiating a resolution for North Korea's nuclear program.
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