Putin Sends Lion And Brown Bears To North Korea As Gift

Russia recently transferred more than 70 animals to a zoo in the North Korean capital Pyongyang from Moscow's zoo. The Russian government reportedly said that the animals, including an African lion, two brown bears, and 45 pheasants, were “a gift from Vladimir Putin to the Korean people.”

The animals were transported by plane to the Pyongyang Central Zoo, accompanied by veterinarians from the Moscow Zoo. Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s natural resources minister, oversaw this relocation. The shipment also included two yaks, five cockatoos, as well as mandarin ducks. North Korean state media reported on Thursday that rare animals had been received as gifts from Putin.

Ties between Russia and the North have strengthened in recent years as both countries face sanctions from the West. Both the nations also signed a mutual defence pact that includes a clause requiring the countries to come to each other’s aid if either is attacked. The latest gift comes weeks after the United States and South Korea revealed that North Korea had sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine.