The Russian official news agency "TASS" reported today, Wednesday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a luxury limousine car of the Russian-made Aurus model, a set of tea, and an admiral's dagger during his current visit to Pyongyang.
TASS quoted Yuri Ushakov, one of Putin's aides, stating that the Russian president received various artworks in return that portrayed him, including busts.
Joyful crowds and lavish celebrations welcomed Putin in the North Korean capital on Wednesday, where Kim Jong Un expressed his "full support" for Russia in its war against Ukraine and pledged stronger strategic relations with Moscow.
The Aurus Senat, designed in a classic style reminiscent of the Soviet-era ZIL limousine, is the official Russian presidential car, and Putin used one of them during his recent inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin in May. When Kim visited eastern Russia in September last year, Putin showed him one of the black armored cars. Kim sat next to Putin in the car and seemed to enjoy it.
Putin gifted Kim his first Aurus limousine in February of this year, according to the countries at that time, meaning Kim now has at least two cars of this model. Kim is believed to be a car enthusiast, owning a large collection of luxurious foreign cars, which may have been smuggled, as UN Security Council resolutions prohibit the export of luxury goods to North Korea.
A senior Russian official mentioned last month that Russia would start producing luxury Aurus cars at the former Toyota factory in St. Petersburg this year. According to Russian analytics agency Autostat, 40 Aurus cars have been sold in Russia since the beginning of this year.
