Russian defense chief and Duma speaker visit North Korea

Russia's defence minister, Sergei Belooussov, arrived in Pyongyang on a working visit, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence. During the trip he will meet North Korea's top leadership and senior military commanders. In parallel, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also visited, holding a meeting with Kim Jong Un and delivering President Putin's greetings. Volodin thanked North Korea for its assistance in the recent liberation of Russia's Kursk region. The visits underscore the deepening security cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.