THIS is the bizarre moment Vladimir Putin and his new best pal Kim Jong-un went for a spin in a £350,000 bulletproof limousine.
The pair of despots were seen hopping in the luxury Aurus after Putin, 71, gifted the pricey motor to the Supreme Leader as part of his historic trip to North Korea.
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The tyrant twins have struck up a chilling friendship in recent years with Putin’s visit sending the bromance into overdrive.
Fascinating footage shows Putin stepping into the driving seat of the Aurus as Kim, 40, jumps into the passenger seat.
The car is surrounded by a huge number of security but when the doors close the pair are surprisingly left alone in the motor.
The feared twosome then went on a chilled ride around the lavish grounds of a guest house in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang with next to no protection with them.
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The two are said to share “pent-up inmost thoughts” on their car rides together, North Korean state media said.
Putin also handed Kim an admiral’s dagger and a tea set.
Such elaborate gifts are all but guaranteed to be a violation of Moscow-backed United Nations Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.
Along the journey the two switched seats as Kim got behind the wheel following crunch summit talks between the two tyrants.
Kim rolled out the red carpet for his “Axis of Evil” ally as the tyrants vow to forge a “New World Order” on Tuesday.
Putin was greeted in North Korea with an extravagant welcome ceremony as part of the Russian leader’s first visit to the rogue state in 24 years.
They are expected to reinforce their strong relationship- and boost defence ties between the two nuke-armed countries.
During talks, Kim said “relations between our countries are entering a new era of blossoming”.
And the North Korea dictator said “the ardent friendship of the two countries will be strengthened” during Vlad’s visit.
He also expressed his “full support” for Putin’s brutal and illegal war in Ukraine.
Both tyrants have already shown a united front against the West during the two-day meet.
Kim Jong-un made submissive Putin his ‘second banana’, expert says
By Katie Davis, Senior Foreign Reporter
DOMINANT Kim Jong-un forced Vladimir Putin to be his “second banana” as he greeted his Russian counterpart in North Korea, an expert said.
Professor Erik Bucy told The Sun Kim “demanded obeisance” from the Russian leader – who would have been left feeling “incredibly awkward” as he has long tried to maintain a macho image.
Cringe-inducing video caught the moment the pair desperately tried to usher each other into a car at Pyongyang airport.
They both repeatedly signal for the other to enter the Mercedes limo first – with Putin eventually conceding as Kim grinned and made his way around to the other side of the car.
Professor Bucy said: “What looks like a friendly welcome is really a dance to determine dominance among two nefarious authoritarians.
“As the two leaders approach the limo, Putin attempts to act as the welcoming host and guide Jong-un into his own limo but the North Korean leverages the moment by holding his ground and keeping his arm outstretched, nonverbally insisting that he lead Putin into the back seat.”
Bucy, who works in Strategic Communication at Texas Tech University, said Kim’s insistence “reinforced Putin’s status as a client and Jong-unn’s as the host and supplier”.
He added: “This cringe moment evokes the social hierarchy of a couple on a date, where the dominant partner demonstrates chivalry by opening the door for the other, who accepts the role of second banana.
“It had to be incredibly awkward for Putin, who fashions himself the supreme leader of the old Soviet order, to be led into Jong Un’s car like that.”
A breakthrough mutual defence clause in the case of aggression against either country has already been agreed, Putin said on Wednesday.
“The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement,” the Russian despot explained.
He added that “Russia does not rule out developing the military-technical cooperation” with North Korea in a chilling WW3 threat.
Mad Vlad went on to accuse Western deliveries of advanced, long-range weaponry including F-16 fighters to Ukraine for strikes against Russia of breaching major agreements.
The Aurus was the second time Putin has gifted his pal a car.
In February, Putin reportedly gifted Kim the same £350,000 limousine as a thank-you for providing North Korean weapons to help in the war.
The elaborate gift was again thought to be a violation of sanctions against North Korea.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decision to gift the motor was made after Kim took a liking to Putin’s Aurus Senat Limousine.
Despite the seemingly perfect pair looking all smiles, a body language expert told The Sun that Kim has forced Putin to be his “second banana”.
Professor Erik Bucy told The Sun that Kim “demanded obeisance” from the Russian leader – who would have been left feeling “incredibly awkward”.
Professor Bucy said: “What looks like a friendly welcome is really a dance to determine dominance among two nefarious authoritarians.
Bucy, who works in Strategic Communication at Texas Tech University, said Kim’s behaviour “reinforced Putin’s status as a client and Jong-unn’s as the host and supplier”.
Inside Kim Jong-un’s car collection
KIM Jong-un is known to be a motor enthusiast – here’s the swanky cars he’s been seen riding in:
- Maybach S600 Pullman Guard (£1,198,000)
- S600 Pullman Guard – (£1,243,000)
- Rolls-Royce Phantom – (£407,000)
- Armoured Mercedes-Maybach (£1,198,839)
- Lexus SUV – (£55,000)
- Russian-made bulletproof Aurus limousine (£350,000)
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