A Ukrainian drone strike near the North Korean Embassy in Russia this week has likely dimmed the prospects of a visit by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and heightened security measures ahead of a major Russian military parade.

Kim’s potential visit at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin has been in the works for years, following the Russian leader’s trip to Pyongyang in June 2024. South Korean media have also raised the possibility of Kim’s trip to Russia after Moscow’s parliamentary and defense chiefs met the leader in Pyongyang last month.

Despite the standing invitation, Kim shunned Russia’s largest