A strategic cruise missile test aboard a navy warship shown in a photo released by North Korea last month (Picture: Reuters)
Vladimir Putin’s government has floated plans for joint naval exercises between Russia, China and North Korea.
Ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened since Moscow invaded Ukraine last year, but have never gone as far as military drills.
Speculation that this could change grew after Russia’s ambassador to Pyeongyang told Russian media last week that joint exercises ‘seem appropriate’.
A South Korean MP who attended a closed-door briefing with his country’s spy agency said the issue was raised.
The agency’s chief, Kim Kyou-hyun, is said to have claimed that Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu likely proposed trilateral naval exercises at a meeting with Kim Jong-un in July.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Shoigu confirmed Russia was considering the exercises but was coy over whether he had pushed for them.
He said: ‘We discuss this with everyone, including North Korea. Why not? These are our neighbours . . . Of course, it’s being discussed.
Putin’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed the plans were being ‘discussed’ (Picture: Getty)
‘We are already conducting [exercises] with our Chinese colleagues, moreover, we have joint patrols of strategic bombers of naval units.’
The July was part of a visit which marked the 70th anniversary of the Korean war armistice.
At the time, Shoigu vowed to strengthen military ties with North Korea, citing ‘a common border and a rich history of cooperation’.
He also accompanied a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official to a North Korean military parade.
Kim Jong-un led North Korea’s Navy Day celebrations last week (Picture: EPA)
It was seen as a show of Russia and China’s continued military alignment following widespread reports of Beijing’s unease over the Ukraine war.
According to US intelligence briefings cited last week, Putin has personally written to Kim Jong-un asking for more munitions to use against Ukraine.
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Putin’s defence minister admitted Russia had floated plans for naval exercises between the three anti-Western powers as they deepen their ties.