Russian plane spotted in North Korea, which could mean arms deal

An Il-62M of the Russian Air Force flew from Moscow to Pyongyang on July 31 and returned on August 2.  

Bloomberg reported this, citing data from FlightRadar24.

This was the first flight of a Russian military VIP aircraft to North Korea since 2019. The flight took place a few days after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's visit to Pyongyang.

The NK News outlet attributed the flight to possible agreements between Russia and Kim Jong Un.

"Certainly, we've seen in the past Russia looking to try to obtain munitions from countries like North Korea," Pentagon Press Secretary General Patrick S. Ryder said during a briefing on August 1.

He added that this "highlights the dire straits that Russia finds itself in when it comes to resupplying and refreshing its munitions capabilities."

In 2020, Pyongyang closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing the country's economy to collapse.

Neither Russia nor North Korea has commented on the aircraft.