A day after Russian military aircraft launched a military reconnaissance satellite in North Korea, it arrived in Pyongyang, attracting attention.
According to the flight tracking website “RadarBox,” on the 23rd, a Russian Air Force Il-62M aircraft, which took off from Vladivostok at 12:19 local time on the 22nd, reached Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. The purpose of the military aircraft’s flight to Pyongyang and the identity of the passengers are still unclear. However, considering North Korea’s launch of the “Chollima-1” rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite “Manriji-1” on the evening of the 21st, some speculate that this move may be related to North Korea’s satellite applications.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) was informed by Bruce Bennett, the head researcher at the RAND Corporation, an American think tank, that the military aircraft most likely carried Russian experts in satellite research. Additionally, Joseph Dempsey, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank based in the United Kingdom, provided Radio Free Asia with the information that North Korea may seek assistance from Russia to enhance the quality of its satellite photographs.
Some in Western countries believe that Russia, which has recently been involved in the illegal exchange of armaments with North Korea, may have provided support to North Korea during the launch of spy satellites. Interestingly, a group photo taken on the 21st of the month at the satellite launch site showed North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un accompanied by more than one hundred technicians. The photo also included some Westerners. Many believe that they are most likely Russian technicians.
