Putin's Valuable Gifts to North Korea's Leader!

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian-made Aurus limousine, a tea set and an admiral's dagger during his current visit to Pyongyang, Russia's state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday.

TASS quoted Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov as saying that the Russian leader in turn received various artworks depicting him, including busts.

Putin was greeted by cheering crowds and lavish celebrations in the North Korean capital on Wednesday, where Kim Jong Un expressed "full support" for Russia in its war against Ukraine and pledged stronger strategic ties with Moscow.

Large celebrations

The Aurus Senat, a vintage-style car modeled after the Soviet-era ZIL limousine, is Russia's official presidential car, and Putin rode in one at his recent inauguration in the Kremlin in May.

When Kim visited eastern Russia in September last year, Putin showed him one of the black armored cars. Kim sat next to Putin in the car and appeared to enjoy it.

Putin gave Kim his first Aurus limousine in February this year, the two countries said at the time, meaning Kim now has at least two of the model.

Valuable gifts

Kim is believed to be a car enthusiast and has a large collection of foreign luxury cars that may have been smuggled in, as UN Security Council resolutions ban the export of luxury goods to North Korea.

A senior Russian official said last month that Russia would start making luxury Aurus cars at a former Toyota plant in St Petersburg this year.

According to the Russian analytical agency Autostat, 40 Aurus cars have been sold in Russia since the beginning of the year.