'Animal diplomacy' amid intensifying war in Ukraine...Putin Gifts Lion and Bear to North Korea

[Anchor]
President Putin has presented more than 70 animals to North Korea amid the intensifying war in Ukraine in the wake of the North Korean military's dispatch to Russia.

The two countries have been showing off their close ties by sending animals to each other several times this year alone.

I'm a YouTube reporter on the report.

[Reporter]
Cargo boxes loaded with animals are carefully unloaded from a transport plane arriving in Pyongyang.

The animals were immediately transferred to Pyongyang Central Zoo to adapt.

A total of 70 animals were transported to North Korea from Moscow Zoo this time,

African lions, brown bears, and yaks are said to have been included for the first time.

The Russian delegation that transported the animals stressed that it was a gift from Putin to the people of North Korea.

[Russian Minister of Natural Resources Alexandre Kozlov: Animals have historically played an important role in state relations. Sending animals as gifts is a sign of support, friendship, and consideration.

Russia and North Korea have frequently exchanged animals this year, showing off unprecedented closeness.

In April, the Moscow Zoo donated eagles and cranes to North Korea.

During President Putin's visit to North Korea, which upgraded the relationship between the two countries to a military alliance, Kim Jong-un presented a pair of Pungsan dogs.

Russia then exported 24 horses of a variety that Chairman Kim Jong-un had climbed Mount Baekdu in the past to North Korea.

On the sidelines of the animal donation, the economic cooperation conference in Pyongyang agreed to increase the number of chartered flights between the two countries.

The Russian side says it plans to organize direct flights from large cities as well as the eastern part of the country.

It's YTN YouTube.