Luxurious limousine for Kim Jong Un from Putin, as a symbol of Russian-North Korean camaraderie

The dictator is known to own a Maybach, though it's supposed to be on Mercedes' blacklist. The lengths to which Kim Jong Un goes to acquire these expensive Western cars are quite impressive. After all, bypassing international sanctions isn't an easy task.

The story is different with Russia, though, as North Korea does not face any sanctions from them. Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin share a good relationship and mutual visits between them are common. A rather unusual event occurred during one such visit in the fall of 2023.

Kim Jong Un was visibly intrigued by President Putin's limousine, pushing Putin to invite his guest into the car. Jong Un took the back seat, and based on recent reports, he must have really been pleased, as Putin then surprised him with a gift.

The North Korean news agency KCNA reported that Kim Jong Un now owns an identical model of Putin's armored and luxurious limousine, the Aurus Senate. This report was even confirmed by Putin's spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov.

The Senate model began its production run in 2021, and Russian officials have been privy to it for many years. Branded as the "Russian Rolls-Royce," this heavyweight features a hybrid 4.4 V8 engine with twin turbochargers, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Together, these components generate 598 horsepower.

The Aurus Senate is not a budget-friendly car by any means. According to recent data, the starting price is approximately 41 million rubles, which is equivalent to about $560,000. The car also comes equipped with added features such as additional armor and the capacity to make encrypted calls.