Russia Gifts Over 70 Animals to North Korea Amid Strengthening Alliance

The exchange follows North Korea's deployment of troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine, highlighting growing military and diplomatic ties.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent more than 70 animals, including a lion, two brown bears, yaks, and various birds, to North Korea's Pyongyang Zoo as a diplomatic gesture.
The gift is part of a broader warming of relations between Russia and North Korea, marked by military cooperation and a mutual defense pact signed earlier this year.
North Korea has reportedly deployed over 10,000 troops to Russia, with some already engaged in combat operations in Ukraine, according to intelligence assessments.
This is the fourth animal exchange between the two nations in 2024, with previous gifts including horses, eagles, and parrots, reflecting a history of symbolic exchanges.
Western officials have raised concerns about potential technology transfers from Russia to North Korea that could enhance its nuclear and missile programs.