Kim Jong Un tours Putin’s war arsenal, sparks concern over budding alliance

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Kim Jong Un checked out Moscow’s hypersonic missiles, nuclear bomber jets and a warship Saturday during a trip to Russia that sparked concern in the West over a budding alliance between North Korea and Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, though the top U.S. general responded by downplaying the potential impact the two countries might have.

Kim traveled to an airport in the eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok, where Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and other top Russian military officials gave him a tour of Russia’s warplanes, including the Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers that have been regularly launching cruise missiles in Ukraine.

Shoigu, flanked by Lt. Gen. Sergei Kobylash, the commander of Russia’s longe-range bomber unit, reportedly told Kim that the Tu-160 bomber jet recently was outfitted with new missiles with a range of over 4,040 miles.

The Russian military brass’ comments to Kim during the trip are the first time the deployment of these new missiles was confirmed, after officials previously said the weapon was under development.

Shoigu also gave Kim a close-up look a hypersonic Kinzhal missile, which are carried by MiG-31 fighter jets and were first unveiled in Ukraine. The missile is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads and has the a