Kim Jong-un has outed himself as a Putin fanboy after decorating his walls with portraits of his fellow despot.
North Korea’s main man was giving Russian army chiefs a personal tour of Pyongyang last week when state TV captured Putin’s enormous head.
The unmissable sight along the shiny corridor was mirrored by another huge portrait – of Kim, naturally.
Later on, the Russians made a toast with red wine in front of another massive photo of Putin shaking hands with Kim.
Kim’s gesture suggests a blossoming bromance between the nuclear-armed tyrants, although Putin didn’t make the trip to Pyongyang himself.
He sent his defence minister Sergei Shoigu in his place, which some commenters viewed as a ‘humiliation’.
Simon Miles, assistant professor at Duke University, told Insider Shoigu’s visit reflects his diminishing status after the Wagner revolt.
‘It’s a hazing-level job,’ Miles said.
He added: ‘The Putin system is one in which you’re promoted based on personal loyalty, not competency.
‘That’s the story of Shoigu. He’s not good at his job. Just look at how the war is going.’
According to reports, Kim vowed solidarity with the Russian military over lunch with Shoigu, who reportedly secured an agreement for the supply of weapons to aide Putin’s war in Ukraine.
US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel responded by saying Washington was ‘incredibly concerned’ about the apparently growing ties between both isolated states.
Pyongyang and Moscow have denied conducting any arms transactions.
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