Mystery Russian Plane in Pyongyang Stirs Arms Deals Concerns
- Rare flight comes on the heels of Kim’s trip to Russia
- VIP Russian plane was on the ground for about two days
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An unscheduled Russian military VIP plane touched down in Pyongyang this week, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare trip to his neighbor for talks the US said likely focused on arms transfers.
Tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the Russian Air Force Ilyushin IL-62M flying from Moscow to Pyongyang, arriving on Tuesday morning. The tail number on the plane indicates it was the same aircraft Russia sent to North Korea in August, just days after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang and was guided by Kim through a collection of his country’s latest weaponry.