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Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korea’s main zoo more than 70 animals, including a lion and two brown bears, in yet another display of burgeoning relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.<\/p>\n
Putin’s environment minister, Alexander Kozlov, brought the animals to the North Korean capital on board a cargo plane, Kozlov’s office said on its official Telegram channel on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The shipment of animals from Moscow also included two yaks, five cockatoos and dozens of pheasants as well as mandarin ducks, Kozlov’s office said.<\/p>\n
The gift comes weeks after the US and South Korea revealed that North Korea had sent thousands of troops<\/a> to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine.<\/p>\n While in Pyongyang the Russian environment minister also paid a courtesy visit to Kim.<\/p>\n This isn’t the first time in recent memory that Russia has sent animals to North Korea.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Putin gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 24 pure-bred horses, reportedly as thanks for artillery shells provided by North Korea.<\/p>\n Putin and Kim have strengthened their alliance in recent months as both countries face sanctions from the West.<\/p>\n