Kim Jong-un, who rules North Korea, the loneliest country in the world, with unprecedented rules, is in the spotlight with his missiles, nuclear weapons, bans on jeans and haircuts, as well as his daughter in front of the cameras.

The 39-year-old North Korean leader, famous for his micromanagement, has been highly anticipated since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In the first months of the invasion, American intelligence reported that Pyongyang was selling arms to Moscow, while Kim Jong-un recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Vladimir Putin had annexed.

By 2023, Kim's rapprochement with Russia, while continuing to test missiles, could no longer be concealed. Indeed, the North Korean leader left for Russia today in his famous armored train.

CONFIRMED ONE AFTER THE OTHER

The news of the train's departure was followed by a Kremlin statement confirming the official visit. The Kremlin announced that the North Korean leader will be in Russia in the coming days at the invitation of Vladimir Putin. While it remains a mystery whether Kim will land in the capital Moscow or the eastern city of Vladivostok, the BBC reported that the last stop will be Vladivostok.

Minutes later, North Korea's official news agency KCNA confirmed Kim's departure and emphasized that the visit was specifically at Putin's invitation.

HE HAS HARDLY LEFT THE COUNTRY SINCE THE PANDEMIC

Kim Jong-un, who has rarely left North Korea since the winter of 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, traveled to Russia for a few days by train, as expected, is one of the headlines around the world.

In fact, the visit on the Pyongyang-Moscow line is not a surprise for the world. Last week, the US announced that Kim was planning to visit Russia to discuss the arms trade with Putin. Washington announced that the visit would take place in September, underlining that the main agenda of the meeting would be North Korea's supply of weapons to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine.