MOSCOW: Moscow's top security official Sergei Shoigu arrived Wednesday in Pyongyang, where he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks, Russian news agencies reported.
Shoigu arrived on orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin, TASS reported, with RIA Novosti saying it expected current affairs "including the situation surrounding Ukraine" to be among topics of discussion.
Wednesday's visit is Shoigu's second to Pyongyang in less than three months.
Traditional allies Russia and North Korea have drawn closer in recent years, with Pyongyang sending troops and weapons to support Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Pyongyang has defended its military cooperation with Russia, saying on Monday that ties were aimed at "ensuring peace and stability" in Europe and Asia.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, citing the country's intelligence service.
Russia and North Korea signed a sweeping military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Putin to the nuclear-armed North.
Shoigu last visited Pyongyang in March, when he hailed the deal as "fully meeting the interests of both countries".
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