INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday hailed his country's ties with Russia, saying the two nations were "invincible
comrades-in-arms" amid reports President Vladimir Putin will visit Pyongyang this summer.Kim made a rare overseas trip to meet the Kremlin
leader in Russia's far east last year, with Seoul and Washington subsequently accusing Pyongyang of shipping weapons to Moscow for use on
the battlefield in Ukraine.Putin is expected to visit North Korea in the coming weeks after the Kremlin told Russian media in May that the
trip was "being prepared."South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported the visit could take place "as early as next week," as part of a tour
comrades-in-arms," leader Kim wrote in a message to Putin carried by the official Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday.Their "meaningful"
ties will "further consolidate the eternal milestone" in the new era, Kim added, according to KCNA.Yonhap said satellite images showed
possible signs of a "large structure" being installed in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square
parades or visits by high-ranking foreign figures.During his trip to Russia last year, Kim said ties with Moscow were his country's "number
one priority."Analysts have warned that a recent increase in testing and production of artillery and cruise missiles by the
is barred by UN sanctions from any tests using ballistic technology, but Moscow used its UN Security Council veto in March to effectively
end UN monitoring of violations, for which Pyongyang has specifically thanked Russia.A Pentagon report published last month said Russia is
using North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine, citing debris analysis
Experts said that during Putin's visit to Pyongyang, North Korea would likely push to export more weapons in exchange for importing food and
