How despot pals Putin and Kim stack up from size of nuke arsenal to personal fortunes as pair form new axis of evil | The Sun
POWERFUL weapons, intimidating warships and enormous private wealth are just some of the things the leaders of Russia and North Korea have in common.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un, who are due to meet in Russia today, could be in the early stages of forming a new "Axis of Evil".
And expert told The Sun that if the despot pals do meet in Vladivostok today, it could be bad news for the West.
With an estimated combined personal fortune of over £163 billion, millions of soldiers, thousands of planes, warships and tanks as well as their combined nuclear resources, it could be a truly dangerous alliance.
International Relations expert Sergey Radchenko yesterday told The Sun "The issue at stake is whether North Korea sends weapons to Russia.
"If it does, it would be a relatively important development, with implications for the war in Ukraine."
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He admitted that while Russia will have to consider how such a move would affect relations with South Korea and China, Putin's foreign policy has become more radical and the possibility can't be ruled out.
Weapons arsenals
Russia's Mad Vlad has a collection of terrifying superweapons as well as almost 6,000 nuke warheads at his disposal.
He also previous claimed to have successfully launched an "RS-28 Satan 2" missile, which can fire up to 12 nuclear warheads at once.
Further beefing up Russia's stash of superweapons is the SC-X-9 Skyfall, a nuclear-armed cruise missile that has an "unlimited" range.
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One of Vlad's most frightening superweapons capable of causing catastrophe is the nuclear-armed submarine drone, Poseidon.
The terrifying submarine can cause tidal waves and "radioactive tsunamis" by dropping a nuclear weapon onto the seabed.
But perhaps the most dangerous is the powerful Armageddon nuclear rocket dubbed Satan-2.
The "unstoppable" intercontinental missile system could "sink the UK in one strike" and is the size of a 14-storey tower block.
Russia also boasts 12,500 tanks, almost 4,000 MLRS rockets and over 1.3 million troops.
Kim-Jong Un's most formidable weapon is likely the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, which launched earlier this year.
North Korea has previously launched some of it's most powerful missiles in "drills" to "send a clear message to the enemies".
As part of Kim's vast nuclear arsenal, North Korea also boasts 30 warheads and nearly 3,000 MLRS rockets.
On top of that the country has almost 6,500 tanks and over 1.2 million soldiers.
Private wealth
Communist despot Kim Jong-un has spent much of his blood-soaked billions on extreme luxuries as well as weapons over the years while his North Korean citizens live in destitution and fear.
He's estimated to be worth at least $5billion (£3.6billion) and likes to splurge it like most billionaires — on fleets of luxury vehicles, a sprawling property portfolio and the best culinary delights money can illegally import.
Even the train Kim reportedly took to Russia was allegedly packed with vintage booze and strippers.
He reportedly owns 17 palaces dotted around North Korea, including one with its own 500m airstrip in Wonsan.
As well as his luxury 95ft yacht, he can be found jetting around the country aboard Air Force Un — a luxury Russian IL-62 jetliner worth millions.
His secret harem of women is itself another source of Kim's staggering splurges.
In 2016 alone, he splashed out £2.7m on fancy lingerie — including racy corsets and suspenders — imported from China.
Putin is also known for his billionaire lifestyle.
Some have suggested the Russian tyrant may be one of the world's richest men with a net worth of up to £160 billion.
He is believed to be the owner of a £1 billion palace by the Black Sea, which boasts a pool, spa, saunas, bar, theater, cinema, wine cellar and a casino.
Vlad's palace also includes a guest house, its own petrol station, an arboretum, a helipad and is even alleged to have a stripper pole.
Putin is also believed to own a number of holiday homes around the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga in northern Russia, as well as a vast country estate near Moscow.
He is also the owner of a luxury 32m yacht.
Common hobbies
The two tyrants also appear to take time off from their rules of terror – to pursue hobbies.
Both are known to use their considerable wealth to enjoy sprawling properties, extravagant travel, women and luxury goods in their free time.
But one such past time stands out slightly from the rest.
Mad Vlad, who has held various positions as president and prime minister of Russia for almost 25 years, has still made time to ride his horses shirtless during his reign.
Kim appeared to recreate the Russian tyrant's publicity stunt, as he rode horseback in a series of bizarre photographs.
The snaps, which he had released by North Korea's official news agency, showed the tubby leader clambering up a snowy mountain on a white horse.
Secret wives & girlfriends
Both leaders also appear to have kept their relationships fairly hidden from the public eye.
Very little is known about Kim Jong-Un's wife, Ri Sol-ju.
Identified as Kim's wife in 2012, she is believed to have been born between 1985 and 1989, making her between 35-40.
They are believed to have three children together, although this is unconfirmed.
Putin is also believed to have kept his partner private.
The tyrant has been romantically linked to Alina Kabaeva many times over the years.
Born on May 12, 1983, in Uzbekistan, Kabaeva is a 39-year-old Russian politician, media manager, and retired rhythmic gymnast.
Rumours of a reported relationship between Putin and Kabaeva date back more than a decade to when they were first linked in 2008.
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Unnamed officials who have attended Putin’s private parties say they have never seen the two together but believe they do have a relationship, claiming that only top-ranking officers in Putin’s security detail are kept in the loop.
In 2016, Kabaeva appeared in public wearing a ring on her ring finger, which she seemed to attempt to hide from the cameras.
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